Forever War
by NEIWIS
Summary: Sequel to Semper Invicta. For the past year, the demigods have been torn apart by war. Annabeth thinks she can work with a goddess to ensure the peace and stop those who would break it. Reyna knows that the demigod leaders are facing a deadly plot against them, and no one is ready for it. What the two don't know is that they are on a collision course that will change the world.
1. After the End

**This is the sequel to Semper Invicta and the end of a three year project. I hope everyone enjoys.**

* * *

A loud explosion woke Frank from his slumber, and he practically fell out of bed. One hand grabbed his sword, and his eyes darted around. A few deep breaths made him realize that the loud explosion was just someone's fist banging against the front door. He laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes tiredly.

The pounding only continued, until Frank was forced to stand and stumble towards the door. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep, due to the nightmares. When Frank thought everything was peaceful, he would remember the destruction and death that had swept through the demigods only two months before. He remembered the relationships that had been destroyed and would never be fixed.

Frank opened the door and came face to face with a tired looking man. The man held a tablet out towards Frank and spoke, "I just need a signature to prove to Lupa that I did the statue in fairness and all that jazz. You know my work is perfect, just sign the damn thing. It was hard to do without a model. Pictures don't really do anyone justice, and it makes the sculpting harder. The other praetor already examined it and signed off on it, so I'm heading out."

"Thank you," Frank muttered. He grabbed the tablet and signed, without looking at the screen. There was no doubt that the man's work was perfection. His entire bloodline was dedicated to making statues of former praetors for Camp Jupiter. Frank handed the tablet back, and the door was slammed into his face a moment later. The man's family also wasn't known for manners.

The son of Mars walked back towards his room and got dressed. Then, he left his house and quickly took off. As Frank walked through the newly rebuilt Camp Jupiter, all he could remember was the pile of ashes that had been there not long ago. The Romans had been ran from their homes, and when they returned, it had been burned to the ground.

It took two months and plenty of help, but Camp Jupiter had been rebuilt. It was larger than before and a lot more defensible. Most of the buildings had been updated, and one of the new items added was a large wall of marble that held all the names of those that had died. Frank walked towards it and stared down at all of the names. His eyes watered, and there was a hollow pain in his chest.

Frank finally turned away and looked around Camp Jupiter. There was no one in his sight. They had a week to themselves, per Lupa's orders. She wanted all of the Romans to be able to visit their families and just enjoy a week. Frank wouldn't be surprised if some of the demigods didn't return. His plans were to stay at the camp for most of the week and train, after his date with Hazel.

The two would be going to a dinner and a movie. It would be something fun and lighthearted. Frank sighed softly and realized he had reached his destination. His eyes moved up to look at the Hall of Praetors. The simple name matched the simple, white building. Frank placed a hand on the door and stepped inside.

Frank glanced to his right. The statue of the first ever praetor for Camp Jupiter stared down at him. His eyes moved to the left and looked at a more modern statue, even thought it was from fifty years ago. Frank stared walking down the long hall. He saw his fellow praetor in the distance.

The son of Mars stopped at the last statue on his left side. There was empty space next to it that would belong to the next praetor to keel over, retire, or have something else happen to them. Frank looked at the newest statue and couldn't discern how he felt. Was it regret?

"Why didn't we hold a real trial?" Astrid asked. Frank looked at his fellow praetor. She had been voted into the position a little over two months ago. Astrid looked back at him. "We exiled Reyna for a crime that she committed when she was ten years old, and we don't even know the full story. I wish we could take it all back."

Frank looked up at the statue of Reyna. The statue's cold expression stared at the opposite wall. Could the statue tell how much Frank regretted his decision? Did it know that he felt guilt every time he thought of the person that he got exiled? Frank didn't know how he could even begin to make up for it, especially since he didn't know how to get in contact with Reyna.

Frank remembered the moment clearly. He remembered the crime being announced in front of all of the Romans. Reyna had looked shocked and blindsided, but she had admitted to the crime. The remnants of the senate had put a vote forward on whether to exile Reyna or not. Frank's vote had kept Reyna from being exiled, until he changed it.

"I was protecting Hazel," Frank whispered. Astrid looked at him in confusion, and she opened her mouth. Frank looked away. He couldn't reveal why he was protecting Hazel without revealing her secret. "I thought Reyna was going to do something to lead to Hazel's death, and I just let my emotions take control."

"Emotions got us into this mess," Astrid commented. She sat across from the statue and stared at it. "Revenge, anger, and fear have ruined everything for us. I'm worried about our future. This thing with the Sixth Legion is going to come to a head. They declared war on us, but we haven't seen or heard anything about them."

"Reyna wouldn't," Frank began. Then, he looked down. If it was still a few months ago, Reyna would have done everything to protect Camp Jupiter. The wars changed her though. Frank didn't know if the Reyna he use to know was even there, and part of it was because of Frank.

The Sixth Legion was now her army, and it was an army that had just disappeared off of the map. The Olympians claimed that the Sixth Legion went back to Rome, but no one could really confirm where they were. The last they had seen of Reyna was at her sister's wedding, but she had only been there for less than a hour.

In Frank's free time, he tried to learn about the Sixth Legion. There was nothing about them in the history books, and any Lars that he asked all gave him a blank look before continuing on with their day. When he searched through old files, there was no mention about the Sixth Legion. The only mention of Rome was a few groups that went their on scouting missions or quests. The Sixth Legion was a ghost.

Frank tried to approach Lupa about the Sixth Legion. The wolf goddess claimed to know nothing about them and told Frank to try and question the other Olympians, so he did. The only one who answered him was a minor god names Tyre. Even then, Tyre was only able to tell him a few things.

The night before Julius Caesar was betrayed by the Senate, he became the champion of a Fate. That gave him strange powers along with immortality. When he was stabbed by the senate, he was taken to an area out of the city and then began to gather demigods for a small army. Caesar never went near Rome again, so he wouldn't look like a threat.

After the true power of Rome moved, Caesar began to grow the size and power of his army. He made a base deep in the forest, and no one knew the exact location of it, other than members of the Sixth Legion. There came a time when a goddess, Arcadia, was forced to join as punishment for disobeying her father. Her brother, Tyre, was keeping an eye on the Sixth Legion for Jupiter, and he was in much better graces. Those good graces kept Tyre from learning everything about the legion that he was suppose to keep an eye on.

Tyre was able to tell Frank there was two bases. One was large and near the capital of Rome. It housed the Sixth Legion for a month out of the year, and it also housed training recruits. Tyre watched over their training, but that was the most he did with the Sixth Legion. The other base was the one that no one knew about.

"Frank, you there?" Astrid asked. A hand passed in front of Frank's face and he blinked. His eyes moved towards his fellow praetor. "I was just letting you know that I'm off to go look over some files. Try to have some fun with Hazel on your date."

"I will. Thank you," Frank said. He smiled at Astrid and held a hand out. Astrid took it, and Frank helped her to her feet. With one last glance at Reyna's statue, they both walked out of the building. The walk was in silence, but it was a comfortable one. "You should take a break this week. Everyone else is."

"There is no rest for the wicked," Astrid replied. She smiled. "I know what everyone thinks about me. I have to be prepared for anything that could come our way. Reyna also left a ton of files behind, and I've been trying to go through them and see if we can learn anything about her location."

"Can you promise to try and find some time to relax?" Frank asked. After a moment of seemingly debating the question, Astrid nodded. As they stepped outside, they both looked around. Astrid gave Frank another nod and walked away.

Frank heard another set of footsteps, and he turned around. A smile came to his face, as Hazel kissed his cheek. She pulled away and watched him with a worried look. Hazel spoke, "You've been really pushing this Sixth Legion thing. Maybe, you should take a break."

"I'm worried about what is going to happen," Frank admitted. He looked at Hazel and sighed tiredly. "Everyone is worried about the Sixth Legion and Reyna's mental state. I don't think she will do anything, but I would be a fool not to prepare for it."

"Reyna wouldn't do anything against us," Hazel said. It sounded like she actually believed the words, but Frank couldn't share that sentiment. He heard the whispers throughout Camp Jupiter. Some of them thought that Reyna would return to her former camp and make them pay a bloody price.

The two stood in silence for a moment. Frank tried to shove thoughts of the Sixth Legion out of his head and focus on his date for the night. The two were going to have a relaxing night, and nothing bad was going to happen. That's what Frank repeated to himself.

His eyes looked around for the demigod that would be their ride. The demigod was going to catch up with his brother in the city and go on a tour of the country. After their date, Frank and Hazel would catch a ride to Camp Half-Blood with Piper and Jason. Then, they would discuss what move to make with the Sixth Legion.

"It takes time for all wounds to heal," Hazel finally said. She heard footsteps and turned her head. Frank turned as well and saw a demigod running towards them. "We just need a little more time to heal all those wounds."

"Is time going to heal all of the wounds that those wars caused?" Frank questioned. Before Hazel could answer, the demigod stopped in front of them and breathed heavily. "Ada, what's going on?"

"There's an Iris message," Ada began. She took another deep breath. "Theia had been watching it yesterday, and she started talking about finding the truth. I ignored her and went to bed, but when I woke up today, I found a note. Theia left to go to Rome."

"Wait," Frank interrupted. Theia was a child of Veritas, who was always asking questions. She wanted to answer life's greatest questions and would do anything to achieve that. What question was she trying to answer now though? "You said she left for Rome, to find the truth. There's only one person, who might be in Rome, that she would be going to."

"Rome is a dangerous place," Hazel said. "There's no way that Theia can survive on her own. Does she have any family there? Is there anyone we can talk to? We have to let the Sixth Legion or someone know."

"We'll figure something out. Ada, what was the Iris message that Theia was watching?" Frank asked. Ada swallowed painfully and motioned for them to follow. She took off running the way that she came. Frank shared a look with Hazel and ran after Ada. His mind was racing with what had happened. He couldn't believe a demigod had just taken off to Rome.

Ada led them to of them towards a fountain. It was a half destroyed one that barely worked half of the time, so no one ever tried to use it. Ada reached a hand into her pocket and tossed a coin into the fountain. It was a copper coin that Frank had never seen before. Ada spoke, "Show me the message that was sent to the barbarians."

It took a mountain for the Iris message to appear. A man's face stared back at them. His face was caked in blood and covered with bruises. He stared to bring his hand to the Iris message but stopped. The man spoke, "Brothers and sisters, today is the day that we have long awaited for."

"For months now, there have been rumors that the ghost is dead. That thing that called itself the leader of the Sixth Legion is dead. His legion is now fighting within itself for control. Now is the time for us to strike and take our lands back. We must join together."

"The Sixth Legion has divided us for too long," the man continued. His eyes held insanity in them. "They have taken our lands and divided us. A puppet of theirs hold power over the Council. It is time to rise against them."

The man stopped talking and frowned. He waved his hand in front of the Iris message and turned around. Two more men stood in the background, and both of them looked at the man. After a moment, the man spoke, "Is this thing working? I was told I just had to flip that coin, and it would work."

Both of the men shrugged and seemed to be examining the Iris message. The man sighed and looked back at the Iris message. He spoke, "The iron is rusted, and now, we can break it. All you have to do is join me."

The door behind the man opened slightly, and he turned around. One of the men by the door grabbed onto it and gasped. The tip of a sword appeared out of his back, and the door was slammed open into the other man.

An armored figure stepped through the open door. They looked at the remaining man, and even though a faceplate covered their features, Frank had a terrible feeling about who it was. The man grabbed his sword from the ground and held it up.

"Barbarians are always getting into such trouble," the armored figure commented. Frank let out the breath he was holding, as he didn't recognize the voice. It wasn't Reyna, and that was all that mattered. The figure pulled off their helmet, and the man took a quick step back.

The woman smirked and glanced at the Iris message. Her features were near perfect, which meant she was a child of Venus. Frank did recognize the face, but it took him a few moments to think of the name: Aquitaine. The man was pale and seemed absolutely terrified.

"If I'm being honest, I think that you may have started those rumors," Aquitaine stated. She looked at the man and smirked. "Julius Caesar is dead. He passed two months ago, but he did not leave his legion behind without a successor. Did you know that, Ben?"

"Did he name you as his successor?" Ben demanded. He hissed and went to take another step forward, but something seemed to stop him. "You've always had the Council wrapped around your finger, ever since you turned your back on your family. I bet you even had Julius Caesar wrapped around your finger."

"Have you heard of the reaper?" Aquitaine questioned. She took a step forward, and her lip twitched, almost like she was in pain. "I'm sure the barbarians have heard the story of the reaper that stalks the night and returns those who escaped death back to their hell. Can you guess who our new imperator is?"

"I'm not scared," Ben muttered, but there was a quiver in his voice. Aquitaine smirked and glanced to her right. Ben quickly turned his head, and a sword was stabbed into his chest. Aquitaine whispered something into his ear and threw him to the ground.

Aquitaine pulled her sword out of Ben's chest and turned towards the Iris message. She spoke, "The Council asked our imperator to handle this poison named Ben and his lackeys. The Council also asked us to deliver a simple message: follow the treaty. If anyone that is part of the Council, including the Sixth Legion, decides to step out of their bounds, the Council will eviscerate them."

Aquitaine ran her sword through the Iris message and ended it. The Iris message started back from the beginning with Ben's face. Frank ran a hand through the Iris message. Was the Council what Theia wanted to find answers for, or was she just trying to find Reyna?

"Did Theia say anything about this Council?" Frank asked. Ada shook her head and wouldn't look up. "We'll have to call the Senate together and figure out how to track down Theia."

"I tried," Ada whispered. She took a painful breath and looked up. "I tried to send an Iris message to my brother, but it didn't work. It wouldn't go through, and I know he's just hanging out with his mortal girlfriend. I haven't been able to send any messages, other than using that bronze coin to playback that message."

Frank frowned and reached a hand into his pocket. He pulled out a golden drachma and tossed it towards the mist of the fountain. It went right through. Frank stared for a moment and looked down. They needed to get messages out quickly and let Lupa know about Theia. There was a chance that Lupa could intervene and find Theia or contact Reyna.

"We'll get dinner and send messages to everyone," Hazel said, as if she was reading Frank's mind. Frank smiled slightly and heard footsteps. He turned to see a fully armored Roman walking towards them. The Roman stopped walking.

"Praetor, there is a woman here who calls herself Aquitaine. She claims to be from the Sixth Legion and is here to talk on their imperator's behalf," the Roman reported. He looked Frank in the eyes, and Frank could see the excitement in them.

"Bring her to the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus," Frank answered. He looked away. "Make sure that she disarms and gives all of her weapons to you. I want someone to keep an eye on the meeting from afar, and I want someone else to send a message to all of the senators. We need them for an emergency meeting."

The Roman nodded and turned away. He jogged back the way that he came. Frank turned towards Hazel, and she nodded to him. She grabbed his hand and spoke, "This will work, Frank. All we need to do is sit down and talk. This is a good beginning for that."


	2. Chaos Has Come Again

Frank looked around the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus and took a deep breath. He needed the meeting to go well, but there was a terrible feeling in his gut. Hazel glanced at him and looked back ahead. They both stood in silence and waited for Aquitaine. As minutes passed, the feeling in Frank's gut grew worse.

"What if this is all a big mistake?" Frank asked. He crossed his arms and looked at Hazel. His eyes began darting around to the pillars that kept up the temple. Why did it feel like someone was watching him? "I should have just went to meet Aquitaine or sent her away. What if this is all a big trap?"

"Frank, you're worrying about nothing," Hazel said. She grabbed his arm and smiled at him. "You have to ignore all of the whispers that have been going around the camp. People will say what they think, but that doesn't mean it's the truth. Aquitaine will give us the truth. We just have to listen."

"It's just taking a long time. They should have been here by now," Frank muttered. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. Hazel was right. He needed to get rid of the rumors and try to think of everything objectively. "Okay. Maybe, something else happened, or Aquitaine backed out."

"It's nothing so grand, praetor," Aquitaine said. Frank quickly turned around and looked at Aquitaine. She was walking towards them with a clear limp. The Roman followed behind, but Frank dismissed him with a nod. "I'm still getting over my leg injury, so I'm not able to walk as well."

"It was crushed, right?" Hazel asked. Aquitaine nodded and studied the two of them. She pulled off her helmet and ran a hand through her hair. Frank found himself staring at Aquitaine's perfect, beautiful features. He remembered Ben's questions of Aquitaine having Julius Caesar wrapped around her fingers. "How is it now?"

"There's a lot of metal holding it together," Aquitaine answered. She looked around and sighed. "The imperator wanted me to meet with the two of you. Two months ago, Camp Jupiter allowed a barbarian to take over leadership, and that barbarian committed an act of war. In turn, the imperator declared war on Camp Jupiter. I am here to negotiate peace."

"Negotiate?" Frank asked. He took a step forward. Why couldn't they just make peace? Why did there have to be a negotiation? Would it make Reyna look weak to give peace to Camp Jupiter without getting anything in return? "What does Reyna want from us in exchange for peace?"

"I'm not sure what the imperator wants," Aquitaine replied. She shifted to take pressure off of her leg and looked around. "The imperator told me that I was to negotiate what was best for the Sixth Legion and to report back to her when it was finished. War wouldn't be good for Camp Jupiter, praetor."

"What games are you playing?" Hazel interrupted. Aquitaine turned to look at her. "We know that Reyna wants peace with Camp Jupiter and the others. Everyone is upset with the Sixth Legion, and posturing isn't going to help any. We can help the Sixth Legion, if you and Reyna let us."

"The imperator wants peace, but a price has to be paid. I'm not saying that because the imperator wants to solidify her power or give herself a sense of satisfaction. An attack was made on the leader of the Sixth Legion, and Council law demands that there is compensation. If not, the Council will refuse to recognize the peace," Aquitaine explained. "We need something to please them."

"What's the Council?" Frank questioned. Aquitaine looked out in the distance and looked around again. She shifted and rested a hand on her leg. Pain showed on Aquitaine's face for a moment. "We can go sit down somewhere, if that takes pressure off of your leg."

"This is fine," Aquitaine said. She shifted again and winced. Her eyes still seemed to be looking around, as if searching for something. Frank frowned. Why would Reyna send someone who could barely stand to negotiate a treaty, and why was Aquitaine so jumpy? "The Council is the law of Europe."

"I can't tell you the exact year, but there came a point when most of the tribes in Europe knew they needed someone or something to help keep the peace. There was a long, bloody war over it, and any tribe that didn't want a ruling power was destroyed or shunned. The rest all signed a treaty that gave power to the Council. Boundary lines and laws were made, and anyone who broke those would be punished."

"If a member of the Council attacks another, a trial will be held, and the loser of the trial will be decimated by the rest of the Council. If an outsider attacks a member of the Council, every member of the Council is suppose to unite and decimate them," Aquitaine continued. "It was ruled that the Sixth Legion was out of Council bounds when we came here, but we still have to follow the rules for peace, to prevent them from having an excuse to attack you."

"What could we possibly give this Council?" Frank questioned. Aquitaine looked down and bit her lip. She looked up, and Frank could tell it wouldn't be an easy request. "We can't give you any land or weapons. There's not much we have to offer."

"A book," Aquitaine answered. "It would have been one that was retrieved about five years ago. It's bound in leather and soaked in blood, but the words on the pages are the most important. It holds vital information and was stolen from the Council by one of your praetors. The imperator wants the book and any other items stolen from the Council that day."

"We'd have to go into the records and find it," Frank said. He thought it over and tried to think what about the book could be so important. Why did this Council want it so badly, and who made up the Council? "It will take some time, and I still have to bring this to everyone else. What would we get in exchange?"

Aquitaine looked at Frank, and his eyes suddenly flickered behind him. Frank turned and saw two armored figures walking towards them. He studied them and didn't recognize their white armor. One of them raised a sword and spoke, "Praetor Zhang, step away from the assassin."

Frank turned back towards Aquitaine and stared at her. Aquitaine had one hand moving behind her back, even though she didn't have a visible weapon on her. There was no way Reyna would send assassins to them, right? Or, was Aquitaine really working for the Council?

"Don't let them lie to you, praetor," Aquitaine said. Frank glanced at the two armored figures. "Those two have been waiting for an opportunity to kill you for over two months now. That's why the imperator sent me here today."

Aquitaine moved her hand back in front of her, and Frank stared as he saw a gun in her hand. Aquitaine raised her gun and fired two bullets. An arrow hit her hand a moment later forcing her to drop it. One of the armored figures slammed into Aquitaine.

Frank moved towards Aquitaine and pulled the armored figure off of her. They turned and swung a knife at Frank's neck. He moved backwards and kicked them away. Aquitaine grabbed the person from behind and started to choke them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Frank saw Hazel fighting the other person. He went to help her, but Hazel slipped around her attacker and stabbed them in the back. She shoved them down and turned towards him. Frank turned towards Aquitaine.

Aquitaine still had the assassin in a chokehold and had taken off their helmet. A woman glared at Frank with pure hatred, and she spoke, "Son of Mars, you are going to die today, along with your girlfriend."

"Who sent you?" Frank demanded. The woman smirked and raised her right leg. She suddenly brought it backwards and slammed it into Aquitaine's leg. Aquitaine let go of her and collapsed, gripping her leg. The woman lunged for Aquitaine's gun ad picked it up.

"Don't move," the woman sneered. She aimed at Frank and smirked at him. Frank glared and glanced at Hazel. She started to move to the side, but the woman aimed at her. "Both of you get on your knees, or I will paint this temple with all of your blood."

"You won't be able to frame the Sixth Legion for this," Frank promised. He glanced at Hazel and gave a slight nod. She blinked to show acknowledgment and looked at the woman. They both dropped to their knees and waited for the right moment.

"I'm not trying to frame anyone," the woman hissed. She glanced down at the gun and moved it to aim at Aquitaine. "Get on your knees, if you can. You're going to tell how you knew about this, or I kill these two now."

"You're going to kill them anyway, so why would I tell you?" Aquitaine questioned. She slowly got to one knee and placed a hand to her leg. It took her another moment to begin standing. The woman aimed the gun at her and hissed. Aquitaine continued to stand and reached towards her belt.

As the woman's finger started to pull the trigger, Astrid tackled her from behind. Astrid shoved the gun away and placed her dagger to the woman's throat. Frank slowly stood and gave her a grateful nod. Hazel grabbed his arm and walked towards the other person.

Hazel knelt by them and felt for a pulse. She moved her hand and closed her eyes. Frank walked towards Hazel and grabbed her shoulder. His gaze moved towards back towards the woman, and he spoke, "We have some questions for you to answer, and you're not going anywhere."

The woman smirked and raised her hand. Frank heard the ground beneath him crack, and something grabbed onto his leg. Frank turned and stared down at the skeleton. He heard shouts around him, but all he could do was stare down at the skeleton that had grabbed onto him. Was the woman a daughter of Pluto?

"Hazel," Frank began. He turned to see Hazel struggling with two skeletons. Frank finally kicked the skeleton away and heard the woman speak in another language. He turned towards her and glared. "What do you want?"

The woman didn't respond. She spoke in the language again, and Frank heard a noise behind him. He turned and felt someone slam into him from the side. Aquitaine pushed herself away from him and got to her feet. She attacked the woman without hesitating, despite her limp.

Frank rolled away from a skeleton's attack. He grabbed his bow and aimed an arrow at the woman. It took him a moment to aim it, but he fired. The arrow slammed into the woman's neck, and she dropped her weapon. Aquitaine stabbed the woman in the chest and slammed her to the ground.

Aquitaine pulled her sword out of the woman's chest and slowly stood. She stared at the black blood on it. Frank turned towards Hazel and Astrid. They were both fighting the skeleton still, which meant the woman wasn't dead yet. How?

The woman looked up at them and slowly started to crawl backwards. One hand was to her chest, and the other was to the arrow in her neck. She made it to a pillar and cursed at them. The woman melted into the shadows and disappeared. All of the skeleton around them suddenly collapsed into a pile of bones.

The first thing Frank did was look at Hazel. She had a few cuts on her arm, but it wasn't anything too serious. She gave him a reassuring nod and walked towards Astrid. It took Frank a moment to look at Aquitaine. She was studying the black blood on her sword.

"You brought a gun into my camp," Frank said. Aquitaine looked at him and sheathed her sword. She limped towards the gun and picked it up. "You knew about the assassins, but you didn't try to warn us beforehand. What do you know about all of this, and did Reyna know?"

"The imperator learned that their was going to be an attack on the demigod leaders. It would be the greatest of coups. She did not know who was orchestrating the attacks, but she knew it would happen after Metis was defeated. My task was to protect you two from the assassin, so I've followed you two for the past two months," Aquitaine said.

"Demigod leaders," Frank repeated. He turned towards Hazel and Astrid. "We have to get in contact with the others, now. Aquitaine, who was suppose to protect the others? Do you know if they were successful?"

"They're in good hand," Aquitaine replied. "You shouldn't feel betrayed by the imperator. She knew she couldn't tell anyone. If the assassins found out that someone knew, they would have moved up their plans. I will make sure that she knows you two are safe."

Frank looked at Hazel once again. She was watching Aquitaine with weary eyes. Frank spoke, "I believe that Camp Jupiter will want to make peace. I'll talk to the others, and we'll find a time to meet with Reyna. Will she agree to meet?"

"I can't answer that. All I can do is tell her," Aquitaine replied. She turned and started to limp away. After a moment, Aquitaine turned back towards him. There was something cold in her eyes. "Is there anything else you would like me to tell my imperator?"

"Tell her I'm sorry," Frank said. He swallowed painfully and met her eyes. "Can you tell Reyna that I am sorry for getting her exiled. I'm sorry that I didn't stand up for my friend. I'm sorry that I didn't stop Boudica."

Aquitaine studied him for a very long moment. It was clear that she didn't appreciate what had happened to Reyna. She spoke, "Thank you for your time, praetor and centurion. I will pass along the message to the imperator and ask when she can meet you. I hope you two have a good night, but if I were you, I would keep your date inside the camp walls."


	3. Do Not Go Gentle

"She is kind of beautiful," Hylla muttered underneath her breath. She smiled slightly but felt a fist slam into her shoulder. Her wife shot her a scathing look. Hylla smirked and turned her head towards Kinzie. She kissed her neck and glanced up at her. "I'm just joking, Kinzie. Who is she anyway?"

Kinzie punched her shoulder again and gave Hylla a stern look. She spoke, "She is some important demigod from Rome and not someone you should be eyeing. She is kind of beautiful though, in the way that a daughter of Venus is. Stop trying to distract me."

Hylla smirked and looked back at the woman. She was leaning on a counter and talking to a man. The woman was wearing a shirt with no sleeves, which showed off two arms covered tattoos. Hylla's eyes were drawn to one on the woman's right forearm. It was a wolf's face surrounded by tribal designs. The woman turned her head and met Hylla's eyes. It was clear she didn't want to keep them waiting.

"Queen Hylla, it is a pleasure to be able to meet you," the woman said. She walked towards them and held out her right hand. Hylla glanced at the tattoo and shook the woman's hand. "My name is Seva. The Amazons in Greece told me that you wanted to meet. I don't typically travel to America, but there is some business I must handle here. This is an added bonus."

Hylla stood from her chair and examined Seva again. She spoke, "I appreciate you taking the time to visit us. Adonia, before she passed, told me about something called the Council. Apparently, the Amazons from Greece are a part of them. What is the Council exactly?"

"It's a group that keeps the peace," Seva answered. She walked towards her desk and sat on it. Seva dismissed the man with a wave of her hand. "The Council makes sure the tribes of Rome do not go to war, but we are always looking to extend our reach."

"You're apart of the Council?" Kinzie questioned. Seva looked at them and nodded. She examined Kinzie for a few moments before looking around the office. Hylla found the woman in front of them interesting.

Seva had traces of a French accent, but when Hylla thought of French people, she didn't imagine someone with hair styled up into a mohawk and piercings on their face. Seva spoke, "Yes. The Council leaders are selected by the people that we govern. If any of those groups violate our laws, they lose their vote, among other things."

"We're looking for a group that is a member of the Council. We've been trying to get in contact with them, and they may be in trouble," Hylla said. Her thoughts moved to her younger sister. She hadn't seen Reyna since her wedding and had not heard a word from her.

"You're trying to find your younger sister," Seva answered. Hylla quickly looked up at her. "I have kept a very close eye on the Sixth Legion, especially when I learned that Caesar had finally passed. I have not met your sister yet, but I have been in contact with their negotiator, who says everything is still the same."

"Can you tell me who it is?" Hylla asked. Seva shook her head. "I just need to get into contact with my sister. Do you know their location or where I could find them?"

"No," Seva replied. She stood and walked towards the large window. "If I am out of my bounds, I apologize, but I understand the kind of relationship you and your sister have. It's one where you are best of friends one moment and bitter enemies the next. I live that relationship everyday."

"My relationship with Reyna is off limits," Hylla muttered. Seva nodded. "Adonia told me I should introduce myself to a member of the Council. Maybe, there is a chance we can have a working relationship. What do you need for that to happen?"

"Well, I don't think the Council will let you join, but I do believe that the two of us can have a working relationship," Seva said. "I would have to take it to the others, but we could share information. There must be unchecked tribes in this land, and you can give me information on them. We can give you information about the monsters and dangers in Rome and possibly an escort through, if you ever visit."

"After you talk to the rest of the Council, you can let me know," Hylla said. Seva turned back towards them, and they heard yelling from outside the room. Seva turned, and the door was kicked open. Hylla saw someone storm into the room with their weapon drawn. She moved behind them and wrapped an arm around their neck. Hylla lifted them off of the ground and was a second from breaking their neck.

"Let her go," Seva said. Hylla let go of the person and shoved them forward. They quickly turned around and started to glare, but it turned to a look of relief. "Sparta, what are you doing here? Rules in Rome are the same in this country. That means I don't like people kicking in my front door."

"I thought I was too late," Sparta wheezed. She sheathed her dagger and breathed painfully. "I've been chasing Hylla's would be assassin all morning. She ducked inside this building, and I thought I was too late."

"Assassin?" Hylla demanded. She grabbed Sparta's arm roughly. Sparta was a member of the Sixth Legion, so why was she in America? Why was she chasing down an assassin? "What do you mean assassin?"

"Someone's trying to kill you," Sparta said. She finally caught her breath and looked at Hylla and then Seva. A look of confusion appeared in her eyes. "Why the hell are you two meeting?"

"Sparta, focus," Seva snapped. She closed the door and grabbed Sparta's arm. "What are you talking about an assassin? Are they only here for Hylla, and how do they know where she is?"

"I've been following this woman for about a week, and she's been tailing Hylla for the same amount of time. She was hanging out at the hotel next door and keeping an eye on this building. I met her at the bar and offered to buy her a drink. I slipped some poison in it, and she drank it. Before I know it, she's flirting with me and offering more drinks, and when I blink next, we're in her room."

Seva held up a hand and closed her eyes. She spoke, "I'm not sure how your imperator will act when she hears this, but I know that Arcadia is going to flip on you. What happened when you woke up and found the assassin had ditched you?"

"I didn't fall asleep," Sparta muttered under her breath. Her cheeks were red from how bad she was blushing. "As she was kissing me, she pressed her forearm into my throat and started talking. The next thing I remember is waking up with my hands cuffed to the bed and my sword gone."

"Congratulations, you were seduced and tricked," Seva said. Sparta looked out the window and glared at the ground below. "I'll make sure to let the Sixth Legion know, after we make sure that this assassin is dealt with. What do you remember about her?"

"How did you know there was going to be an assassin?" Kinzie interrupted. She grabbed Hylla's arm. Sparta looked at them. "Reyna sent you, didn't she? How does she know about this, and why didn't she tell us?"

"It's none of your business," Sparta said. Kinzie grabbed Sparta by her jacket and slammed her into the window. It cracked slightly. Hylla grabbed Kinzie's arm and gave her a sharp look. Her wife didn't let go of Sparta. "Get off me, Amazon."

"I don't think you understand what it is like to have someone that you love with all of your heart and soul," Kinzie whispered. "You would do anything to protect them, If Reyna knew something about this and didn't tell us, I want to know, and you're going to tell me. I swear to Zeus I'll throw you out this window."

"Kinzie, it's time to calm down," Hylla said. She pulled Kinzie away from Sparta. Hylla knew that the two didn't like each other, ever since Kinzie had punched Sparta in the face. She almost wished she could have seen it happen. "Did Reyna know?"

"Yeah," Sparta muttered. "She wanted to tell the two of you, but Arcadia convinced her not to. It's easier to control the variables if you two aren't keeping an eye out and letting everyone know you're suspicious. If you thought someone was going to kill you, would you have met with Seva today?"

"No," Hylla answered. They both glared at each for a moment. Hylla put a hand on her wife's shoulder and squeezed it gently. The tension in Kinzie's shoulders seemed to disappear. "What does she look like?"

"Black hair and brown eyes. They may have been hazel, but she almost looked like a child of Venus. I don't think she was using charmspeak, but it almost felt like it. I felt like I was in a haze, and I wasn't thinking clearly."

"Doesn't sound like a surprise," Kinzie muttered. Hylla elbowed her and gave her a look. Kinzie rolled her eyes but gave Hylla a look that said she promised to keep her mouth shut. Sparta glared at both of them,

They all heard a knocking on the door. Hylla turned and grabbed her knife. Kinzie stepped in front of her and held her sword out in front of them. The knocking continued and finally stopped. A woman spoke, "Miss Seva?"

"It's my assistant," Seva said. She walked towards the front door and grabbed the door handle. Seva turned it but suddenly stopped. She let go of the door and took a step backwards. Hylla glanced around the small office. There was only the large window and the door. "What do you need, Indigo?"

Hylla heard a cracking sound. She turned her head to see a large crossbow bolt sticking through the cracked window. After a moment, three more crossbows bolts hit different areas of the window. Hylla grabbed Kinzie and pulled her away from the window. It exploded only a second later.

The force of the explosion slammed Hylla into the wall. She fell to the ground and heard ringing in her ears. Hylla rolled onto her back, and her eyes moved to Kinzie. Her wife was sitting against the wall and slowly blinking, but she looked out of it.

The door was kicked open, and a woman walked into the room. She made her way towards Hylla raising a crossbow. It was aimed directly at Hylla's head. As the woman fired the crossbow, Sparta slammed into her from the side. The crossbow bolt hit the ground, only an inch from Hylla's head.

Hylla closed her eyes for a moment and forced herself to sit up. Her eyes moved towards Sparta and the woman. The two were struggling for the crossbow, and it looked like the woman was winning. After a moment, Sparta was shoved backwards and kicked in the jaw. She collapsed to the ground.

The woman grabbed a crossbow bolt from her belt and loaded it. Hylla didn't miss the red tape on the bolt, and it wasn't too hard to guess what kind of crossbow bolt it was. The woman looked at Hylla and raised the crossbow again.

"You wouldn't kill the both of us," Hylla said. Her right hand moved to the bolt that had been an inch from her head. She pulled the bolt out of the ground. Her eyes stayed focused on the woman, who only smirked.

"You're right," the woman said. She glanced around the room, and Hylla did the same. Kinzie was blinking rapidly and still seemed to be shaking off the effects of the explosion. Seva was seemingly unconscious on the ground and didn't look like she would be moving anytime soon. Sparta was trying to stand but failing at it. "It will most likely kill everyone in this room, like the other bolts should have."

The woman's finger started to move towards the trigger on her crossbow. Hylla grabbed the crossbow bolt from the ground and stood. She threw the crossbow bolt, and something slammed into her shoulder. The woman smirked and went to press a button on the side of the crossbow.

Sparta grabbed the woman from the side and knocked the crossbow away. She threw the woman backwards, towards the window. Hylla grabbed the crossbow bolt that was buried in the shoulder and gently tried to remove it. The last thing she needed was to set it off by being too rough.

The woman lunged for her crossbow, and Sparta slammed into her. Sparta slammed the woman into the wall and went to slam a knee into her face. The woman picked her up and slammed her into the opposite wall.

Hylla pulled the crossbow bolt out of her shoulder and debated on if she should throw it. On one hand, it would keep her and Kinzie out of danger. On the other hand, there was no telling if it would explode and who would be caught in it.

It took Hylla a moment to get to her feet and stumble towards the crossbow. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sparta had the woman locked in some sort of chokehold. The woman stumbled to a knee and slowly stood. It took her a moment to stand, and she threw Sparta away from her.

Sparta landed on her feet and flipped her dagger out. She tried to stab the woman, and Hylla took a step towards them. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kinzie slowly getting to her feet. The woman dodged Sparta's knife attack and slipped behind her. When Sparta turned, a brutal kick slammed into her jaw.

The woman glanced around the room and seemed to realize her situation. She turned and tackled Sparta out of the window. Hylla cursed and ran towards the window. By the time she looked down, the woman was rolling off of the car. She looked up at Hylla, glared, and quickly hobbled away.

"What happened?" Kinzie asked. She grabbed Hylla's shoulder. It took Hylla a moment to take her eyes off of the woman and look at Kinzie. "You're bleeding."

"I'm fine," Hylla said. She gently grabbed Kinzie's face and examined her eyes. Kinzie looked dazed and confused. Hylla assumed she had a concussion. Her hand moved from Kinzie's face and pressed against her own, bloody shoulder. As the adrenaline left her, pain started to take over.

The two of them were covered in glass from the window, and her body hurt from being slammed into the wall. Kinzie looked like she felt the same. Hylla spoke, "I'm going to see if Sparta is even alive. Can you check over Seva?"

Kinzie nodded and slowly walked towards Seva. Hylla watched for a moment and left the room. She saw someone laying face first on the ground. It was probably Seva's assistant. Hylla saw the assistant breathing, and she hurried down the stairs. No one else seemed to be in the building.

When Hylla made it outside, she winced at the scene in front of her. Sparta was laying on top of the destroyed car, and her face showed her pain. If there was a bright side, it was that Sparta was alive. Hylla looked around for the woman but saw nothing. Her attention moved back to Sparta.

Hylla heard sirens in the distance. She grabbed Sparta's arm and pulled her onto her shoulders. Sparta cried out in pain, and Hylla carried her back into the building. She made it into the lobby and dropped the Roman to the ground. Sparta cursed in pain and glared up at her.

"How do I get in contact with Reyna? If you don't tell me, I'll drag you back to the second floor and throw you off again," Hylla threatened. Sparta glared at her but didn't fight. She finally closed her eyes and took a wheezy breath.

"You'd have to go to our base," Sparta wheezed. Hylla leaned on the wall and waited. She placed a hand to her shoulder. The sound of footsteps told her Kinzie was nearby. "I can tell her to meet you, after I get back to the base."

"I don't believe you," Hylla said. She placed a foot into Sparta's ribs and dug her heel in. Sparta hissed in pain and cursed in another language. "I really don't think you're going to tell Reyna to contact me. How are you going to guarantee it?"

"I will," Seva said. Hylla turned to look at her. She didn't care who could guarantee her anything, but she wanted to see her sister. It didn't matter what it took. "I can tell the imperator of the Sixth Legion that you want to speak to her, and I'm sure Sparta will help you as well."

Sparta nodded. Hylla finally lifted her foot and stepped away. She saw Kinzie walk towards her. Hylla moved back towards the wall and leaned on it. She slowly sat down and closed her eyes. Kinzie knelt by her and started to bandage her shoulder.

"Queen Hylla, I think this will be the start of a beautiful alliance," Seva said. Hylla opened her eyes and looked up at Seva. Something told her an alliance with the Council would be a great benefit. She nodded and looked at Kinzie. After a moment, Hylla closed her eyes and forced herself to relax.


	4. There Can Only Be One

When Thalia noticed that someone was tailing her, she decided to not wait around and find out why. She had been going into a small town to meet with Aphrodite. Thalia could not figure out why the goddess of love wanted to meet her, and she didn't really care. The one thing she wanted to do was find the Sixth Legion and put an arrow through Reyna's cold, black heart.

Thalia didn't understand how Reyna could kill two Hunters of Artemis and not suffer any consequences. There had to be some kind of reckoning for what Reyna had done. Others seemed to agree with her, but they never took action. Thinking of Reyna just made Thalia's blood boil.

Her anger meant that the person following her was in for a very bad day. Thalia passed by a building, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the person following her. She knew it was a person and not a monster, since they were wearing a cloak. Thalia didn't hesitate. She notched an arrow, turned, and fired it at the person.

Thalia watched the arrow hit the person's leg, and she closed the gap between them. The person fell to their knees, and Thalia slammed her knee into their face. She pinned them, pressing her spear into their throat. Familiar eyes stared back up at her.

"What are you doing, demititan?" Thalia demanded. She stood and took a few step backwards. The demititans and Hunters of Artemis didn't have the best relationship, ever since the two had engaged in battle while looking for Ares' missing shield. There was no reason for a demititan to be following her though.

The demititan, Sarah, didn't answer her. She sat up and pulled the arrow out of her knee. There was blood trickling from her nose. Thalia sighed and walked towards Sarah. When it came to demititans, Sarah was the only one that Thalia could even think about trusting.

"Someone is going to try to kill you and me," Sarah answered. Despite the bombshell, there was no emotion in her voice. Sarah looked up at Thalia. "It's not the Sixth Legion. From what I've seen, it's a group of three or four demigods."

"How long have you known?" Thalia answered. She looked around and pulled Sarah to her feet. Thalia pulled the demititan into the nearest building, which was a small library. A man was asleep at the counter. Thalia led Sarah to the bathroom and offered her some ambrosia.

Sarah took the ambrosia and studied it. Thalia focused on taking care of Sarah's leg. The two of them stayed in silence, until Thalia looked up at the demititan. She was still waiting for an answer to her question. Sarah finally shrugged.

"That's not a good enough answer," Thalia said. She stood and heard the door behind them open. Thalia glanced at the mirror in front of her and met eyes with an armored person. She turned around with lightning building in her hand. "It's a mistake to even try."

Thalia shot a bolt of lightning at the person. They held a hand out, and the lightning seemed to move towards their hand. Thalia stared, and lightning was thrown back at her and Sarah a moment later. Sarah dove out of the way and slowly got to her feet. Thalia simply stepped to the side.

"In my day, the Hunters of Artemis were nothing more than a group of pretenders," the person said. Their voice sounded feminine. The person pull of their helmet and looked at Thalia with sky blue eyes. The woman turned towards Sarah. "Demititans were annihilated on sight."

"Shut up," Sarah muttered. The demititan's bow appeared in her hand, and she notched an arrow. Sarah fired it at the woman. Without any hesitation, the woman caught the arrow. She snapped it and smirked.

"Thalia Grace, I am going to kill you," the woman stated. She held her palm open, and a sword with a blue blade appeared in it. "Then, I am going to kill your pathetic brother. There is only room in this world for one child of Jupiter."

"I agree," Thalia said. She attacked the woman and knocked her sword away. The woman stumbled backwards, and Thalia lunged forward. The woman moved, and Thalia's spear slammed into the door. An elbow slammed into the back of her head a moment later.

Thalia fell to her knees and quickly turned. She saw Sarah fighting the woman. It took her a moment to stand. The woman shot lighting at Sarah, and the demititan barely dodged. Thalia grabbed her bow and notched an arrow. The door behind her was kicked open.

Thalia turned and saw another armored person. She raised her bow and heard a cracking noise. It took her a moment to ignore the sound and bring the arrow back. Something cold suddenly wrapped around her wrist, not allowing her to move.

As Thalia turned her head, she saw water was wrapped around her wrist. Lightning hit the water a moment later, and pain tore through Thalia's body. She collapsed to the ground, and everything started turning dark. Her eyes closed against her will.

Everything hurt, and it felt like her insides had been microwaved. For Thalia, it was a new experience, and part of her wondered if this is how the others felt. Thalia slowly opened her eyes and stared at the lights of the bathroom.

A cry of pain snapped her back to reality. Thalia turned to watch the woman slam Sarah's face into one of the sinks. The woman took a step backwards and pulled an arrow out of her hip. Thalia realized the two weren't looking at her any more, and she slowly stood.

"I'm not crashing the party Burza, am I?' a man answered. He flipped his sword, and it turned into a trident. The woman, Burza, gave him an annoyed look and looked back at Sarah. She kicked the demititan in the face and raised her sword.

Thalia shot lightning at both of her attackers. The man gasped and dropped like a stone. Burza tensed and made a noise. She turned, and Thalia slammed into her. There was a painful sound, as Burza's spine slammed into the edge of the sink.

"Who sent you?" Thalia demanded. Burza smirked at her and didn't reply. Thalia punched Burza in the stomach and then slammed her face first into another sink. The man slammed into Thalia from the side and drove her to the ground. He went to stab her.

Sarah grabbed the man's hand and tore the dagger away. She threw him backwards and pulled Thalia to her feet. Sarah spoke, "We need to go. We can't fight them., even if you think we can."

It took Thalia a moment to nod, but she did so reluctantly. She pulled her spear from the door and helped Sarah. With the demititan being injured, she wouldn't be much help in a fight. Thalia could probably take the two on, but it would be best not to chance it, especially if more assassins were waiting in the shadows.

The two made it outside, and Sarah grabbed Thalia's arm. As Thalia turned to look at her, she found the world around her spinning. Thalia's feet hit solid ground, and she stumbled forward. Sarah collapsed to her hands and knees. It took Thalia a few moment to blink away her dizziness and slowly stand.

Thalia realized they were outside the border of Camp Half-Blood. She looked at Sarah and spoke, "How did you do that? That was like shadow travel, but you're not a child of Hades."

"Air travel. Slightly different. Just as exhausting," Sarah wheezed. She collapsed to the ground and pressed her bloody face into the grass. Thalia pulled Sarah to her feet and practically carried her inside Camp Half-Blood. Most of the campers seemed to be away, so there was no one to stare at them. As Thalia walked, she kept an eye out for Chiron.

It only took two minutes to find Chiron. He was talking to Sally Jackson, and the two seemed to be having an argument. Sally was shaking her head and talking rapidly. Chiron seemed to be trying to calm her down. When he saw Thalia, he hurried towards her.

"What happened to you two?" Chiron questioned. He grabbed Sarah's shoulder and examined the demititan. Sarah hobbled on one leg and placed two hands to her face. Thalia steadied the demititan and helped her stay on her feet. "Bring her."

Chiron quickly walked towards the Big House. With Sally's help, Thalia practically carried Sarah towards the Big House. The two led her inside and sat her down in a chair. Sarah thanked them and slowly lowered her hands. Sally handed her a towel.

Thalia sat down and told Chiron about what had happened. As she spoke, her eyes stayed focused on Sally. It was not too long ago that Sally had been named a champion of Clotho. Now, Sally was an immortal, and her ability to see through the Mist was stronger than ever.

Sally didn't seem to notice Thalia's stares. She was helping Sarah take care of her leg and face. For some reason, Sally seemed to be extremely upset. Thalia made a mental note to ask her later. When Thalia finished her story, Chiron sighed deeply.

"We can never escape it, can we?" Chiron wondered. He looked at Sarah and then at Thalia. "Are you sure that one of them was named Burza? And, she said that there could only be one child of Jupiter? That can't be right though."

Thalia remained silent and stared at the wall. She needed to get in contact with Artemis and tell her what happened. Something was bothering her though. How did Sarah know there was someone trying to kill them? Chiron spoke, "I will have to talk to Lupa. For now, I think it is best if you stay here."

"I'm not scared," Thalia stated. She looked at Sarah again. "How did you know that someone was going to try to kill us? I don't think you just randomly saw them stalking me. So, how did you know?"

Sarah didn't answer. She looked at Thalia and sighed. After a few more moments of silence, Sarah spoke, "I don't think you remember or care, but I was attacked by one of my fellow leaders. She was trying to fulfill her mom's wish of a revolution. That revolution would have been the death of every demigod and demititan seen as a leader."

"You were involved with stopping it or at least the attempt to," Chiron guessed. Sarah nodded but didn't speak. "It sounds like too big of an operation for one group to do alone. I assume the Hunters of Artemis didn't know about this, and the camps didn't either. Did the Amazons know?"

"No," Sarah replied. It didn't take long for Thalia to narrow down the possibilities. She slowly stood and turned towards the demititan. Her fist clenched. "The Sixth Legion has been working for two months to save all of you."

Thalia glared and pressed her fist into the table. She spoke, "You saved my life, so I'm going to ask this nicely. How long have you been working with Reyna behind our backs?"

"This is no team between us," Sarah snapped. She stood angrily. "The demititans have been pushed and shoved along by the demigods, ever since we met. The demititans were scared of what the gods would do if we disobeyed their precious children. Alex was right about all of you."

"Look where Alex's beliefs got her," Thalia snapped. Sarah froze and looked at her. Tears welled in Sarah's eyes, and she clenched her fist. Thalia stood as well and got right in the demititan's face. Sarah was always a coward, and she wouldn't dare do anything to Thalia.

"If it was not for me, you would have been killed today," Sarah whispered. "If it was not for the Sixth Legion, there would be a lot of dead demigods in this world, and who knows what would have happened afterwards. I have already talked to the other demititan leaders. We agreed that it is time to distance ourselves from the demigods."

"Sarah, you must think this through," Chiron began. Sarah shook her head and turned around. She started to walk out, but Sally grabbed her arm. Sally whispered something in the demititans ear and led her out of the Big House.

Thalia slowly sat down and stared at the table. She drummed her fingers against it and spoke, "I should check on the others and make sure they did make it out alive. I'll get in contact with you, after I do. We'll have to figure out this mess with the Sixth Legion. We can't work with them."

"Be safe," Chiron said, and he fell silent. Thalia nodded and stood. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the Big House. Thalia expected to see Sarah, but the demititan wasn't anywhere in sight. It took Thalia a moment to forget about Sarah and focus on making sure her friends were safe.


	5. Opposition in All Things

If there was one thing that Eris would never get tired of, it was fighting. It didn't matter if it was two people fist fighting in the street or two lovers getting into a spat. Eris loved it. Now, she was in a room full of demigods that were all from different eras and couldn't stand each other. The only difference between this argument and all the others was that she really needed these demigods to work together.

When Eris had first walked into the room, nine of the demigods in the room had been trading insults and passing blame. The tenth had been curled up in her chair licking her wounds. They all fell silent upon seeing the goddess, but each breathed a sigh of relief when they saw it wasn't their master.

Everyone in the room was united under the common goal to bring peace to world, and they were all following the master of peace: Eirene. Eris guessed that Eirene, being a goddess of peace, would know a thing or two about the concept, but it was still weird that Eirene wanted to commit a genocide. Eris didn't mind it, of course. She just found it weird.

Eirene's twisted reasoning was that the demigods were the weapons of the immortals. The Olympians would be powerless without the demigods to take out lesser threats and do their bidding. For Eirene's peace to be realized, every single demigod had to die, including the ones in the room with her. The demigods in the room knew that thought, and it was a bridge they would cross later.

They had spent months planning the fateful day. All of the demigod leaders were studied closely, so every single thing about the leaders was learned. The next step was to find the twelve demigods that would serve as their assassins. They were all peacekeepers in their former lives and were unable to be killed, so they were trapped away.

Eris didn't know all of the details. She just knew that Eirene received a prophecy that her greatest peacekeepers would be trapped away and only someone special could undo the magic. That led the two goddesses to Annabeth Chase. The demigod had helped them in so many ways, without even knowing it.

Annabeth thought she was unlocking Eirene's faithful guards, not Eirene's vicious killers. Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson would be dealt with soon. They were going to be the last leaders to fall, but something had changed their plans. Someone had prevented almost every single assassination. They were just waiting for two more to report.

"I didn't need your help," a woman snapped. She slammed the door open and stalked inside. Eris smirked as she recognized Burza: a child of Jupiter. A son of Poseidon followed behind her. "And, you did crash the party, Theo! I didn't need anyone's help!"

Burza grabbed a chair and threw it into the wall. Her face looked like it had shared the same fate as the chair. Another demigod, Beleza, rolled her eyes. Burza noticed the movement and turned on her. Eris could just sense the fight that was brewing.

"You didn't need anyone's help to ruin this entire operation," Beleza said. The daughter of Aphrodite was as gorgeous as she was deadly. Eris didn't know how many kills Beleza had under her belt, but the assassin's reputation more than preceded her. "You were followed and led them back to us."

Burza opened her mouth for what would have been a profanity filled screaming match. Instead, the door behind them opened, and everyone fell silent. Eris turned and watched Eirene walk into the room. Eirene was flanked by a mortal, who had to be the goddess' favorite toy and charity case.

All of the demigods fell silent, and they seemed to feel Eirene's anger. Eris quickly stepped towards the nearest wall and remained silent. She was not about to face Eirene's wrath. The goddess of peace walked towards the table and looked at her peacekeepers.

"For months, we have been preparing for today. My mortals have given you all of the information you could have ever possibly needed. Each and every one of you have taken that work and squandered it. I brought all of you back at great expense. You were all hand chosen for this role. I am a very forgiving goddess, but this is pushing me to my absolute limit. What happened?"

"The Sixth Legion," Beleza answered. She looked up. "One of them, who calls herself Sparta, thought she could poison me. The girl was very talkative after some convincing, and she told me that their imperator put them on our trail about a month ago. They were able to trace Burza back to the rest of us."

"I wish the poison did what it was suppose to," Burza muttered. Eirene nodded and walked towards Burza. She grabbed her and suddenly slammed her into the wall. Eirene grabbed Burza by her neck and lifted her off of the ground. "Beleza had the easiest of targets, and she uses the cheapest of tactics. She has no excuse."

Eirene tightened her grip, and Burza stiffened. The two had a silent conversation, and Eirene finally released her grip. Burza fell to her hands and knees and started coughing. Eris studied her fellow goddess and watched in interest. This was new behavior.

"My lady, I did underestimate my target, and I thought the Sixth Legion rat would be unconscious for much longer. If you give me another chance, I will not fail you," Beleza said. "I can have it done by tomorrow morning."

"No," Eirene said. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Eirene pulled Burza to her feet and examined her face. For a second, it seemed like she would throw the demigod through the nearest wall. "Many of you are injured. Mark will need to take a look at anyone who is injured. Go."

Beleza opened her mouth but nodded. She stood and limped out of the room. Burza followed after a moment. It took a few moments for seven other demigods to file out of the room. Eirene grabbed a chair and sat down in it. The goddess sighed deeply.

"We knew there was a chance that the Sixth Legion would be a problem," Eris said. She figured it was safe to speak to Eirene. "Reyna has gotten herself involved in every little problem in the world. This is our fault too."

"You're right," Eirene said. Her eyes focused on the table. "I should have prepared for this. We must figure out how they originally learned of our plans, and we must find a way to turn the other demigods against them. Eris, you will take lead on that."

Eris fought her smile. She knew that the Sixth Legion would be a problem, and she had planned for that eventuality. Eris looked at one of the peacekeepers, and they grabbed a file from the stack on the table and handed it to Eirene. It took Eirene a few moments to open the file.

"I was a little bored with the research on Camp Jupiter, so I decided to dig into their counterparts in Rome. The Sixth Legion holds current and former members close to their chest. When someone gets too old or injured to fight, they are given another job in the legion. They either spend their final days at base, or they grab their weapon, walk off into the forest, and die fighting monsters. It's nearly impossible to find someone who can tell us about the legion," Eris said.

"Nearly," Eirene repeated. She laid the file down on the table and stared at the picture. Eris smiled at it and focused on the two demigods pictured. They both looked to be scouting the place, and one was looking directly at the camera. Eirene studied the picture for a moment. "Who are they?"

"One is named Aquitaine. She is the negotiator of the Sixth Legion and seemingly one of the more powerful members. The other woman with her is the only living exile of the Sixth Legion. She has taken refuge with a clan near them. If we can contact her, we can learn everything we need to about the legion."

"Find her," Eirene ordered. She looked at the remaining peacekeepers. They nodded and stood. Eris handed them the file and watched the two hurry out. From the outside, the Sixth Legion seemed perfect. They always showed perfect unity. Eris couldn't wait to open the curtain and reveal everything about the Sixth Legion.

Eris nodded to Eirene and stood. She would begin to dig deep into the Sixth Legion and learn all of their dirty, little secrets. As Eris turned towards the door, it opened, and two demigods stepped inside. Eris stared into the faces of Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson. They both looked shocked to see her.

Eris understood their shock. Every demigod thought she was a monster, simply because she helped start a war. They also knew that Eris' daughter had tried to kill a demititan a little ahead of schedule. The one thing Eris didn't understand was how the two demigods made it into the room without anyone warning them. No one was suppose to know that Eris and Eirene were working together.

"I suppose it's a good thing that you two are here," Eirene said. She stood and moved to Eris' side. Annabeth opened her mouth to ask a question, but Eirene held up a hand. "Eris came to me to tell me that there was an attempt on all of your friend's lives. She also came to tell me who was behind it."

Eris slowly looked at Eirene. Did the goddess of peace just lie? She had been deceitful, but this was something new. Between attacking a demigod and lying, Eirene was starting to look a little more fun. Annabeth looked at both of them and spoke, "Are they okay?"

"Apparently, the Sixth Legion saved some of them," Eirene answered. She grabbed Eris' shoulder and sat her down. "They all survived, and I have been working tirelessly to find out who is responsible. Eris came here to alleviate her guilt and tell me that it was Arcadia."

Eris' jaw almost dropped. She blinked a few times and looked at Eirene. It was an extremely bold move to label the imperator's right hand goddess as the leader of an assassination plot. Annabeth and Percy both exchanged looks. Percy spoke, "How can Arcadia be behind this, if the Sixth Legion stopped it?"

"Arcadia hates her parents," Eris said. For once, she wasn't embellishing the truth. Arcadia hated Zeus and Hera for barring her from Olympus. Eris glanced at Eirene and cleared her throat. "She wants to overthrow the Olympians, but she knows that she cannot do that with demigods there to protect them. Arcadia wanted to take out the demigod leaders today and allow the rest to crumble. Then, she would have focused on the Olympians."

"Arcadia cared too much about the Sixth Legion to get them involved," Eris continued. The lie was starting to form in her head, and it was one she enjoyed. "She has been working with me to find old members of the Sixth Legion to do the deed. I believe that Arcadia will retreat back within the legion and attempt to convince them to follow her lead. If she can convince the imperator, there will be a war."

"Why would you decide to tell Eirene this?" Annabeth questioned. Her eyes focused directly on Eris, and it was a very scorching look. Eris almost shrugged, since she really had no clue. That was one part of the lie she didn't think of, and Annabeth was almost too smart to trick. Why were children of Athena so smart and nosy?

"Her daughter died because of Arcadia," Eirene said. She placed a gentle hand to Eris' shoulder. '"Arcadia pushed for Eris' daughter to try and kill Sarah. It did not work out in her favor. I cannot imagine how it must be to lose your only daughter."

Annabeth nodded. She almost looked sad. Percy was studying them, and he finally spoke, "Reyna wouldn't work with someone trying to kill all demigods. She's not that much of a monster, right?"

Eirene didn't answer. She simply shared a look with Annabeth. It took a few moments, but Annabeth shook her head and whispered into Percy's ear. Percy's expression hardened, and he nodded. Eris almost wanted to clap. It was a masterful performance by Eirene.

"I know you will want to tell all your friends, but we must keep this close to the chest," Eirene said. "If Arcadia learns that Eris turned on her, there is no telling what she will do. I do think that Reyna, if she is not already under Arcadia's thumb, will be soon. It will not be pretty to have the Sixth Legion as an enemy."

"Unless, we disarm them," Annabeth said. "I think it's time we went back to Camp Half-Blood. We'll try to find out what we can about the Sixth Legion and report back to you. My cousin will have to wait. If you learn anything about him, can you tell me?"

"Of course," Eirene replied. She remained emotionless as the two demigods left the room. Eris waited a minute and let out a deep breath. The two look at each other, and Eris felt a smirk come to her face. They had been mere seconds from all of their work being undone, but Eirene had thought of a way out, like always.

"Find out everything about the Sixth Legion. Do it fast and bring in that exile. We don't have much time," Eirene said. She stood and walked towards the door. "I want the Sixth Legion to pay for their interference, and when they are out of the way, we are going to allow my peacekeepers one more chance at saving this world."


	6. Journey of Truth

Theia had spent her entire life in search of the truth. Their entire world was shrouded in mysteries, and it was impossible to even crack a fraction of them in one's lifetime. Mortals lived such shorts lives, and that was part of the reason why Theia spent every moment of her life looking for answers.

There was nothing more satisfying than spending months on a question and finding the truth. She had spent fifteen years searching for truths in the demigod world. None of those years could have prepared her for the question that laid before her. How could someone who had helped saved the world multiple times be exiled from her home and treated like a pariah?

Theia didn't have many places she could go to try and find the answer. Camp Jupiter did not speak of their former praetor. Camp Half-Bloods leaders wouldn't speak to Theia, and the campers at Camp Half-Blood all gave conflicting stories. She wasn't stupid enough to try and talk to the Amazons.

It left her with two options. The first were the demititans. The group was hard to find, and Theia only knew one of the leaders. She had no clue where that leader was. Her only option was to go to the heart of Rome and find the demigod that had been exiled.

Of course, Theia never planned on acting upon her desires. The question kept her up at night, but there was no way she could actually go to Rome. There was too much danger there, and any demigod that was by themselves would be annihilated.

Then, she saw the Iris message that was broadcast across the world as a warning. A member of the Sixth Legion had declared that members of the Council were to follow Council laws, and Theia saw her chance. If she could get to Rome, she could use the Council to help find the Sixth Legion. Council members had to be close together. It was the protection that she needed.

Making it to Rome was the easy part. She had slipped out of Camp Jupiter, booked a flight to Rome, and rode out a storm that was clearly a warning from Jupiter. When she had first landed in Rome, she went to the small town that was supposedly near the Sixth Legion base. A kind family of demigods allowed her to stay for the night and pointed her in the way of what was hopefully the Sixth Legion.

Now, Theia was slightly lost. She was sitting against a tree in the middle of a clearing, and rain was starting to pour from the sky. One hand toyed with her specially made glasses. They were a gift from Arcus and allowed her to launch her own television show, for demigods only. It was sponsored by Aphrodite and aired on Olympus TV. Aphrodite would not let the other Olympians shut Theia down, and the demigod would be grateful for the rest of her life.

Theia had spent hours walking through the forest, and she had not seen a single person. She didn't know where she was, but her rations would last her a few more days. All she needed to do was find the trail of the Sixth Legion or some Council member. All she needed was a break.

As the rain started to fall faster, Theia stood and placed a hand to her glasses. She felt around her glasses for the button that would take the Iris message off of its commercial break. It had been a few hours since her last update, and her family would be worried about her. They always tuned in to her Iris messages.

Theia glanced at her watch. Instead of telling the time, it showed her the amount of viewers that were watching her channel. At the moment, she only had three. Something told her the number would jump soon enough. Theia waved her hand in front of her glasses and looked around the clearing.

"Hey viewers, we had a little bit of signal interference," Theia said. She cleared her throat awkwardly and tried to think. Dead air was the last thing that she needed. "I think it has mostly passed, but the Iris message might cut in and out. Now, I'm on my way to find the Sixth Legion."

Theia stopped talking and couldn't shake the feeling that she had eyes on her. She quickly looked around and forced herself to relax. There was no way to tell if there was monsters or another demigod watching her, but she had to remain calm. Theia walked out of the clearing and walked towards a line of tree that had carvings etched into them.

Part of Theia wanted to stop and stare at the carvings. Instead, she pulled out her camera and took a few pictures. Theia continued past the line of trees and stepped into another clearing. She heard a branch snap and quickly turned around. Beady eyes stared at her through the tree line.

"Why oh why is a little girl crossing through monster territory?" a woman asked. She stepped out of the shadows but didn't move past the tree line. Theia stared at the gigantic woman in front of her. The woman was built like a brick house and was covered in mud and what looked like blood. Theia took a step backwards.

"Who are you?" Theia asked. Her hand started moving towards her sword. The woman didn't make another movement, and it was almost like she couldn't move past the tree line. Was it really a boundary line? The woman studied her for a moment and sneered.

"I've been called a lot of names, but now, I'm called Valk," the woman said. It sounded like English was her first language, and she didn't have an accent. "Who are you though? Who are you to think that you can walk from our territory into theirs? If you want to live, you will step back over this line and follow me."

Theia hesitated and wracked her brain trying to think of city names. Every member of the Sixth Legion was named after a city, and she couldn't think of any city that was named Valk. Was the woman apart of the Council though? Valk watched her, and they both heard a branch snap.

"I thought I could smell you all the way from our base," a voice said. It only took Theia a moment to recognize the voice, and she quickly turned towards the member of the Sixth Legion. Sparta met her eyes and walked towards her. Valk sneered at both of them.

As Theia looked back and forth between the two, she found a huge size difference. Compared to the children of Mars at Camp Jupiter, Sparta was nowhere as tall, huge, or muscular. Valk looked like she had eaten a child of Mars for breakfast. The two were glaring each other down.

"It's the Sixth Legion runt," Valk taunted. Sparta took a step forward and glared angrily. She looked at Theia and placed a hand to her sword. "Girl, you should know that iron kills. Sparta is a little dog that follows the order of her master."

"Get out of here, Valk," Sparta snapped. She took a step forward but winced. Sparta's hand moved to her side, before she slowly lowered her hand. It seemed like Sparta was hurting, and Valk seemed to realize it too.

"Did the runt hurt something?" Valk taunted. Sparta took another step forward and stopped right in front of the treeline. Valk smirked and spat in Sparta's face. "Do you really think the Sixth Legion cares about you? Why don't you step on this side, runt?"

Theia had heard rumors about Sparta's temper, and something told her it was more than just rumors. Sparta wiped the spit off of her faceplate and took a few steps backwards. She looked at Theia and spoke, "Who are you?"

"She's someone who was in our territory, and she ran over to your side. We would like her back," Valk said. Sparta turned on her and visibly clenched her jaw. "With that tattoo on her arm, she looks like a member of Camp Jupiter, and if I recall correctly, the Sixth Legion and Camp Jupiter are at war. An enemy is on our lands, and by decree of the Council, we must deal with them."

"That would be true, if we weren't in the middle of negotiating peace," another voice said. Theia turned to see another armored figure limping towards them. Theia recognized the voice, but she didn't know what their name was. "Valk, go back and leave this alone."

"Aquitaine, you shouldn't be here," Sparta said. She looked at Theia and then back at Aquitaine. "I'll handle this. You can handle this girl and figure out why she is here."

"Why don't you can go ahead and attack me, Sparta. I'm sure Aquitaine can appease the Council, like she always does," Valk taunted. Theia could sense she was in a very bad situation. It seemed like Valk's taunting was really starting to get to Sparta and Aquitaine.

"Enough," Aquitaine said. She turned towards Theia. Her eyes focused on Theia's face, and her eyes moved to the tattoo. Theia was extremely uncomfortable and felt that tempers were going to explode. "Did Camp Jupiter send you to finalize our peace treaty?

"I came to speak to the imperator," Theia said. Being a child of Veritas meant that she literally could not lie. All she could do was try to answer the question as vaguely as possible. Aquitaine nodded and turned away. Theia looked back at Sparta, and she saw Valk sucker punch the Roman in the throat.

Valk threw a javelin right at Aquitaine's back. Theia slammed into Aquitaine from behind and felt the javelin fly over their heads. She took a deep breath and quickly tried to stand. A boot slammed into her temple, and Theia fell to the ground. She rolled onto her back and placed both hands to her head.

It took Theia a few moments to open her eyes and look around. She saw Valk had Aquitaine pinned to a tree, with her forearm pressing into Aquitaine's throat. Valk spoke, "I have been waiting so many moons to pay you back for what you did to me. Damn the treaty. The Council will believe my side, especially with Sparta's temper and history."

Theia placed a hand to her glasses and glanced down at the viewer count. It was steadily rising. Something told her that the Council would definitely see the video. Valk let go of Aquitaine and slammed her knee into Aquitaine's leg. She threw Aquitaine to the ground.

It took Theia a moment to stand and grab her sword. She wasn't much of a fighter, but she could do her best to hold Valk off, for probably a few seconds. Valk turned towards her and smirked. She spoke, "If you work with me, I will spare you. Understood?"

"I don't care," Theia said. She raised her sword and tried to attack Valk. It took only a second for Valk to catch the sword in her hand and shove Theia backwards. She swung a large flail right at Theia's head.

There wasn't anything Theia could do, so she raised her arms to protect her head. The flail slammed into her arm and shattered her forearm on contact. The force of the flail slammed Theia to the ground, and she gripped her arm. She was in too much pain to even cry out.

Theia looked down at her arm and quickly looked up. Her breathing came out as wheezes, and she saw Valk step over her. Valk smirked and raised her flail. Sparta slammed into Valk and tackled her to the ground. Theia tried to sit up, but the pain didn't allow her to move.

Theia heard a cry of pain, but she didn't look up. Her gaze stayed focused on the ground. It took her a few, deep breaths, but she was finally able to sit up and look around. The first thing Theia saw was Sparta being pinned by Valk. It looked like Valk was whispering something into Sparta's ear, and it was clearly taunting words.

Valk stood and raised her flail again. Out of the corner of Theia's eyes, she saw a movement from the shadows. As Valk started to bring her flail down, a javelin slammed into the flail's chain and caused it to slam into the ground near Sparta. Valk turned towards the shadows and took a few steps backwards.

"Oh, it's Bristol," Valk said. She smirked and stopped behind the boundary line. Theia looked up to see a man step out of the shadows. "How's the wife doing? Oh, wait. Sorry. I forgot about that. Didn't Aquitaine cause her death? Why are you two such great friends again?"

"Valk, today is not the day. You broke Council law, and your little clan is going to get destroyed because of it," Bristol said. He walked towards Theia and helped her stand. "You're going to leave, before I kill you. Is that understood?"

"If you do kill me, I could always say hi to your wife," Valk said. She winked at them and disappeared into the treeline. From the grip on her arm, Theia could feel how angry Bristol was. He was almost shaking from anger. Bristol turned on Theia and studied her.

"Who are you?" Bristol asked. He walked towards Sparta and knelt by her. Theia winced as she saw the dent in Sparta's helmet. It took her a few moments to walk towards the two members of the Sixth Legion. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

"My name is Theia. I'm just trying to find Reyna and speak to her," Theia answered. Bristol looked at her and then back at Sparta. He helped Sparta into a sitting position and slowly removed the helmet from her head. "I didn't know this would happen."

"We should take her to the infirmary and then send her back to Camp Jupiter," Aquitaine said. She limped towards them but wouldn't meet Bristol's eyes. Bristol nodded and examined Sparta's head wound. Theia stared at all of them. Did they not just hear what she said?

"Wait a minute. I have to talk to Reyna. Everyone thinks she is some kind of monster, but I know different. I fought by her side for years. The stories that I hear about Reyna have to be false, and I just want everyone to know the truth," Theia said.

"No," Aquitaine said. "It's too dangerous for you to be in Rome, especially after what happened yesterday. As soon as we take care of your arm, you are going back to Camp Jupiter."

"Actually, she does have a point," Bristol said. Aquitaine gave him a sharp look, and he returned it. Aquitaine finally looked away and started to limp out of the clearing. Theia looked up at Bristol, and he turned towards her. "As soon as I help Sparta, I'll take you to the imperator, and it will be up to her if she wants to speak to you."

Theia nodded. She moved her hand up to her glasses and turned the Iris message to a commercial. It was only right to respect the Sixth Legion's privacy, especially since they were going to allow her to speak to Reyna, All she could do was hope that Reyna was in a talkative mood.


	7. Quaestiones Et Responsa

"Who was that woman?" Reyna asked. Her eyes stayed focused on the Iris message that was in the corner of the room. It took her a few moments to look at her second in command. Arcadia was leaning against the wall and glaring at the Iris message. She looked at Reyna.

"Before she was exiled, we called her Nikaia. I told Caesar we couldn't trust her," Arcadia muttered. She pushed herself off of the wall and walked towards a large bookcase on Reyna's right. It was full of files that held information about former and current members of the Sixth Legion.

Arcadia grabbed a file and walked toward Reyna. The file was the size of a novel, and Reyna had a feeling nothing in it was good. Arcadia placed the file down and continued, "Nikaia's temper is one of the worst I have ever seen. Between her size and skill, Caesar was willing to overlook it. After she caused the death of a mortal for the second time, Caesar had her exiled."

"I thought Caesar had a no tolerance party for mortal casualties," Reyna said. She opened the file and glanced through it. From her small look of the file, it seemed like Nikaia had only been with the Sixth Legion for a few years, but she seemed to have been on missions for most of that time. "What saved her the first time?"

"Aquitaine lied to Caesar about what happened," Arcadia answered. Reyna looked up in surprise. Arcadia nodded slightly and leaned on the desk. "The two were suppose to trail a severion and wait for orders to take him down. Nikaia ignored orders, attacked the severion, and a mortal got caught in the crossfire."

"What happened the second time?" Reyna asked. She closed the file and leaned back in her chair. A mixture of pain and relief shot through her back as she stretched. Reyna closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. In the past three days, she had gotten a total of ten hours of sleep.

"Caesar began to have his suspicions about how close Nikaia and Aquitaine were. He sent them on a mission with Sparta. They were suppose to take out a Cyclops clan. The plan was for the three of them to split up and take out parts of the camp and then meet in the middle. Sparta found mortal prisoners, and when she met up with Nikaia and told her, they disagreed on what to do about them," Arcadia explained.

"Sparta thought they should look for other prisoners but leave them caged, until it was safe. Nikia wanted to free them, and the two of them stumbled into another prisoner. They argued about what to do and attracted the attention of a Cyclops. That Cyclops threw a spear at them. It hit the mortal instead," Arcadia finished.

"I imagine that Caesar didn't take the news well," Reyna commented. She knew Caesar would have a file on it somewhere. He had a file for everything. Reyna found it better to learn about people by speaking face to face.

"I remember the day well," Arcadia muttered. She closed her eyes and sighed. "When the three returned, Caesar split them up and had me question Sparta about what happened. When I relayed the story to him, he pulled Aquitaine aside and asked what happened. She claimed to not remember anything, and a deep gash on the back of her head seemed to confirm her story."

"For a few hours, Caesar disappeared into his office with a witness to the death of the first mortal. He then called me, Aquitaine, and Nikaia into his office. Caesar confronted them about the first mortal, and he even had video of what happened from an old security camera. Nikaia, looking for grace or maybe mercy, decided to come clean about everything. It didn't go well," Arcadia finished.

They both heard a knock on the door. Reyna glanced at the door and debated sending the person away. She was sure that Theia had been escorted into their base, and Reyna didn't know what she wanted to do with her yet. Reyna finally spoke, "Come in."

"Imperator," Bristol began. He stepped into the room and bowed quickly. Bristol met Reyna's eyes, and as he opened a mouth, Reyna held up a hand. She had sent Bristol to meet up with Aquitaine on her return from meeting with Camp Jupiter, and it was luck that the two had managed to find Sparta as well.

"We saw what happened," Reyna said. She stood and sighed tiredly. "Did you take Theia to our guest room, and did you make sure she didn't see to much?"

"Yes imperator," Bristol replied. Reyna nodded and walked out of the room. Bristol followed her. "Sparta was fading in and out of consciousness, but she did tell me that Hylla is safe. It sounded like her mission was a success. Did we lose anyone?"

"No," Reyna answered. Bristol nodded and led her towards the room that held Theia. The three of them stopped outside, and Reyna placed a hand to the door handle. "Arcadia, can you send a message to Seva and let her know about what happened? I'm sure the Council will be more than happy to make sure that Nikaia is handed over to us. Bristol, will you assist Avaris with whatever she needs?"

"Of course imperator," Bristol said. He bowed once again and hurried away. Reyna really wished they would stop doing that. It was just uncomfortable to have a legion of demigods bowing to her every single time they started and ended a conversation.

"I'll send the message to Seva, and I cannot wait to get my hands on Nikaia. What are we going to do with her?" Arcadia asked. Reyna didn't respond. She had no clue what she wanted to do with Nikaia, and it was something she would probably leave up to Arcadia.

"We'll see," Reyna replied. Arcadia smirked and walked away. Reyna took a deep breath and opened the door. She stepped inside the room and looked around. Theia was sitting in a chair and had her hands resting on the table in front of her. She had yet to remove the black bag over her head.

Reyna heard footsteps and stepped to the side. A member of the Sixth Legion nodded to her. He was holding a drink and a plate of food. Reyna motioned for him to set it down in front of Theia. He quickly sat the drink and plate down, bowed to Reyna, and hurried out of the room.

"Do you have your Iris message turned to a commercial?" Reyna asked. Theia stiffened, and her hands slowly grabbed the black bag. Theia slowly pulled off the bag and stared at Reyna. Her eyes slowly moved to the food and drink. "I figured you haven't had anything for a few hours."

"I haven't," Theia whispered. She looked up and swallowed painfully. Theia looked back down. "I have it on commercial still. I thought you would want me to respect your privacy. You look a lot better, since I've last seen you."

"I feel better," Reyna admitted. She looked at Theia sadly. It wasn't too long ago that she was Theia's leader. Now, she was just an outsider. "I'm guessing you don't know what happened yesterday. There was a plot to kill all demigods that are seen like leaders, including Frank and Astrid. With help from the demititans and a few Greek demigods, we managed to stop the assassins. I don't know who was in charge, but we plan on finding out."

Theia nodded, and her hand started to move towards the switch on her glasses. Reyna simply leaned back in her chair and spoke, "Theia, I understand why you are here, but there is no point in opening old wounds. I'm not going to answer any questions about what happened."

"Everyone deserves to know the truth," Theia said. She flipped her glasses on. Reyna kept her face neutral and just studied Theia. The demigod was very persistent, and it would be hard to convince Theia to drop her idea of finding out the truth.

"Theia, I understand that you want to hear my side of the story, but it is only going to cause more of a rift. The camps cannot stand me, and this will only make things worse," Reyna said. Truthfully, she was still upset about what happened. She remembered trusting Annabeth completely and then being stabbed in the back by the daughter of Athena.

"Finding the truth always leaves people upset," Theia said. She leaned forward. "Reyna, there are so many stories that are going around about what really happened. I'm not asking these questions to satisfy my own curiosity. We owe it to future generations to record the truth."

"I'm pretty sure you used that line on me before," Reyna said. She sighed and looked Theia in the eyes. "Fine. I will answer some of your questions. You have to promise me that you will return to Camp Jupiter after this."

"I will," Theia promised. She opened her mouth to speak again, but she quickly closed it. Theia cleared her throat. It was clear that she was about to call Reyna by her old title. Reyna simply watched it. "Let's start small, Reyna. What happened when you went on a the quest for Mars' shield?"

"To make a long story short, we met the demititans midway through our quest. With their help, we learned that the shield was being stored in one of my mother's temples, and they helped us get there. When we reached the temple, we learned that Circe and Enyo had worked together to steal the shield and distract everyone from Ouranos rising," Reyna explained. She closed her eyes for a few moments. "I challenged Enyo to a duel for the shield and won."

Theia stared at Reyna for a few moments. She knew that Reyna was telling the truth, but it didn't look like she could wrap her head around it. Theia nodded and spoke, "I remember that there was a deadline for the three of you to find the shield. Some say that you made the deadline, but others say you missed it. What happened?"

"Mars started his war early," Reyna said. She involuntarily rubbed her shoulder. "We should have beaten the deadline, but we were also attacked by Atlas. I know that Atlas could have killed us and didn't, but I was unconscious at that point."

Theia nodded. She leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. Theia seemed to be thinking about the events. Reyna just looked at the table .She knew what Theia's next question was going to be, and it still hurt to think about. Reyna had forgiven herself for what had happened, but it didn't change the fact that she had led so many Romans to their deaths.

"You're wondering about the temple of the Fates," Reyna stated. Theia nodded slightly. "I led the Romans into the temple, and we got there in time to stop the sacrifice of Rachel. We didn't know that Ouranos would be there. The Romans sacrificed themselves, so Rachel, Nico, and I could escape. I didn't want to leave, but there wasn't much I could do with two people pulling me away."

"Everyone said you abandoned those Romans," Theia said. Reyna shook her head and looked away. It took her a few moments to blink the tears out of her eyes. "How did you defeat Ouranos then? No one has told us anything about that."

"Ouranos captured Atropos to use as a vessel," Reyna muttered. She slowly looked back at Theia. "He was going to use an ancient ritual to pull Gaea from her sleep and have her use Atropos as a vessel. Instead of completely interrupting the ritual, we followed alongside it, and when Ouranos went to finish it, that's when we interrupted it."

"I stole the ritual from Ouranos and allowed Kronos to use me as a vessel," Reyna continued. She ignored Theia's shocked look. "Kronos destroyed Ouranos, and everyone else was left to deal with Kronos. He was subdued, and everything seemed like it would be okay."

"Then, you were exiled," Theia whispered. Reyna nodded and looked at Theia's glasses. She closed her eyes and played the memory over and over in her head. "You admitted to committing patricide, but what happened?"

"My father was insane," Reyna muttered. She opened her eyes. "He was also a mania. I thought he had killed Hylla, and I reacted. That is all I will tell you about it. I didn't plan for it to happen, but if it meant protecting my sister, I would do it again."

"How did anyone in Camp Jupiter find out?" Theia questioned. She frowned and crossed her arms. "I don't think that's something you would share willingly. I remember that they weren't going to punish you, until Annabeth spoke to Frank. It was Annabeth Chase, wasn't it? She's the one who told Frank and the others about you committing patricide."

Reyna didn't respond, and her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for Theia. The daughter of Veritas looked at the table. Reyna stood and spoke, "There is a lot of things we did not tell anyone, Theia. It is a necessity. I know you have a lot of questions, but that is all I'm willing to talk about."

"Thank you for your time," Theia said. She sighed sadly and played with her food. It looked like she wanted to say more. Theia took a deep breath. "I don't think you will ever go back to Camp Jupiter, will you?"

"Probably not," Reyna said. "Why don't you finish up eating, and we'll find a place for you to sleep. In the morning, you'll go back to Camp Jupiter. Can you promise me that you won't go running off anywhere and get in trouble?"

"I can never promise that," Theia said. She smiled and took off her glasses. Theia seemed to end the Iris message, and she focused on eating. "You're not a monster to me, Reyna. I think you did what you had to do, and I don't think we would be alive if you had faltered."

Reyna didn't know what to say to that. She swallowed painfully and nodded slightly. Reyna spoke, "Bristol will be in to bring you to your room. I'm sure that he'll be glad to answer any of your questions. If you need me, I will be in the infirmary. Have a good night."

"You too," Theia said. Reyna stepped out of the room. She took a deep breath and forced back all of the anger she felt in her chest. Reyna walked towards the infirmary and stepped inside. The first person she ran into was their doctor.

"Imperator," Avaris said. She pulled Reyna to the side and glanced at a bed in the corner of the room. Reyna did as well and saw Sparta curled up on her side. She seemed to be asleep. "Sparta is in a very bad shape. From what she was able to tell me, she was tackled out of a building and used to cushion the fall. Her meeting with Nikaia didn't help either."

"Once she wakes up, I want to talk to her," Reyna said. She looked back at Avaris. "If she argues with you about resting, you can tell her it was an order from me. How is Aquitaine doing?"

"Her leg is still healing," Avaris answered. "There isn't much that we can do, but it would be best if she stayed off of it. Speaking of injuries, how is your back doing? I saw you sparring with Bristol the other day, and you didn't seem to be hurting too badly."

"If I move the wrong way, it causes pain to tear through my back," Reyna admitted. She looked away for a moment and remembered the flogging that she had received at the hands of a barbarian posing as an important Roman. The people that she called friends allowed it to happen, "Other than that, it doesn't hurt too bad."

"Don't push yourself too far," Avaris warned. Reyna nodded slightly, and she could sense a familiar presence. Reyna turned her head and frowned. "Your body should almost be recovered from everything that it has been put through, but you don't want to push it too much."

"I won't," Reyna promised. She titled her head slightly and could almost hear something calling her back to her office. Avaris seemed to notice the look on her face. Reyna took a step backwards. "I'll be back."

Reyna turned and walked out of the infirmary. As she walked closer to her office, the voice that was calling for her seemed to get louder. She pushed open the door to her office and stepped inside. A glance around showed that there was no one in the room.

Reyna looked at her desk and walked towards it. There was a small box resting in the middle of the desk, and it had definitely not been there earlier. Reyna slowly lifted the box and stared at the string that laid inside.

The string almost seemed like it was humming, and Reyna could feel the power coming from it. She slowly reached out towards the string but stopped. There seemed to be ash inside of the box. Reyna grabbed the lid to the box and slowly closed it. The humming ended.

Reyna slowly sat down at her desk and studied the box. The sting definitely belonged to someone powerful, but why was the string in her office? That was something that the Fates would hold onto. Reyna sighed and closed her eyes. She would have to contact Atropos about the string, but first, she would have to finish some business at her base.


	8. Birds of a Feather

The last thing Hylla wanted to do was attend a meeting with the other demigod leaders. She knew that it would be the same as all the other meetings during the war. The Greek demigods would take the lead that they did not deserve and could not handle. They would make stupid decisions that would lead to more problems.

Hylla had to attend the meeting though. She needed to keep up the front that she actually cared about Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter. While she wanted to get some measure of revenge for what they did to her little sister, she also needed to maintain her power and position in the Amazons. Hylla was never one for politics, but she knew how to perfectly play the game.

"You need to stay calm," Kinzie whispered. She was leading Hylla towards the open doors of the meeting hall. She didn't know who the meeting hall belonged to, but it was cleared out on a moments notice. It was also an equal distance between Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter.

"I will," Hylla promised. She squeezed her wife's hand and stepped into the meeting hall. A quick glance around showed that a few of the demigods were already waiting around a large meeting table. A few of them had bandages and bruises on them.

From the Iris message that Hylla received from Chiron, she knew important demigods had been attacked, but they all seemed to have survive. It seemed like the Sixth Legion had a large part to play in saving the demigods. Hylla just wanted to know why her sister didn't warn her about it.

Hylla glanced around at the demigods at the table. Frank and Hazel were sitting next to each and looking over a book. It seemed to be covered in blood. Hylla raised an eyebrow and found Jason sitting by himself. It seemed like he was holding a seat for Piper.

As Hylla looked around the room, she met eyes with Lupa. The wolf goddess was standing in a corner of the room, and Chiron was standing next to her. Lupa seemed to be examining Chiron in his centaur form, and it almost seemed like she was smiling.

"I'm surprised it took them two days to call this meeting," Kinzie whispered. Hylla nodded slightly. The meeting had been called for the night before, but they had all agreed to meet bright and early in the morning. Hylla had spent almost the entire night deciding how she wanted to act during the meeting. Would she sit back and listen, or would she take a more aggressive stance?

Hylla looked around for a place to sit, and she met Sarah's eyes. The demititan was sitting back in a chair, and it seemed like her leg was propped up. Another woman sat on Sarah's left, and it seemed to be another demititan.

"Have a spare seat?" Hylla asked. After a moment, Sarah motioned to the chair on her right. She didn't say a word and just stared ahead. Hylla slowly sat by Sarah, and Kinzie sat next to Hylla. "I assume you aren't too happy to be at this meeting either."

"Demigods have pushed us around long enough," the woman said. She leaned forward and looked at Hylla. For a moment, Hylla was captivated by the woman's strong, German accent. She finally focused on the woman's bright blue eyes, which had a hint of gold surrounding her pupils. Hylla stared for a few moments.

"This is Rike. She's one of our newest members, but she was promoted to a leader not long ago," Sarah muttered. She leaned even further back into her seat and crossed her arms. Rike smirked and ran a hand through her golden colored hair. "She doesn't bite, much."

"You are the queen of the Amazons, ja?" Rike asked. It sounded like she was struggling with English, but there was a clear confidence in her face. Hylla nodded slightly. "You have many enemies? It explains the bounty."

"Bounty?" Kinzie interrupted. She gripped Hylla's hand tightly. Hylla gave her a reassuring look and glanced back at Rike. It took a moment for Rike to lean close to Sarah's ear and speak. Sarah nodded slightly and whispered something back. "What does she mean by bounty?"

"Rike was a severion," Sarah whispered. "They're basically demigod bounty hunters. She angered some of the other severions by breaking one of their very few laws, and she was pretty much made an exile. If another severion sees her, they are obligated to kill her on sight. She's a perfect fit for the demititans."

"I'm guessing that severions aren't very popular," Hylla commented. Sarah nodded and shifted slightly. She winced in pain. "I'm also guessing that you two were attacked. How did it end for you?"

"I wasn't attacked. I helped Thalia. You can guess how grateful she was," Sarah answered. One hand moved to her leg. As Hylla looked underneath Sarah's hood, she could see bruises on Sarah's face. "We were attacked by a child of Jupiter and maybe Neptune."

Hylla nodded and looked over at Frank. He was examining the book in front of him. Hylla spoke, "What is that, praetor? I assume you didn't bring that here just for fun."

"If Camp Jupiter wants to make peace with the Sixth Legion, we have to deliver this to Reyna, if she agrees to meet us. This should appease the Council, which is a higher law in Rome," Frank explained. Hylla frowned and stood. She walked around the table and examined the book.

The book seemed to be bound in leather, but it was completely soaked in blood. She stared at the book and could just feel power coming from the book. Hylla slowly placed a hand to the book. As soon as her fingers touched the cover, everything around her disappeared.

Hylla blinked and looked around. She looked down at her hands and saw that she was holding the book, but with how pale her hands were, she definitely wasn't in her own body. Hylla should have known just from sensing the magic, but she was probably living the last moments of the person that the blood belonged to.

"Sir, they are the gates," a voice said. Hylla turned her head and looked at an armored figure. They weren't wearing armor on their right arm, from the elbow down. Hylla instantly recognized the tattoo as the same one that Seva had. "We do not know who they are, but we will not last long."

"So it begins," Hylla said. It was pretty odd to feel herself speaking but hear a man's voice come out. She looked down at the book and slowly flipped through it. "An unknown enemy has finally decided to challenge our power, but we will not let them win. Order the troops to fall further into the citadel and allow our defenses to decimate the attackers. As long as I stand, we cannot fall."

The armored figure nodded. They turned and ran out of the room. Hylla looked through the book once again and stopped on a family tree. She ran a finger down it and stopped at two names. Hylla spoke, "The time for vengeance is now. My youngest shall be avenged, and my oldest will fulfill her destiny. That I can assure you, Venus. I swear it on my life."

Hylla blinked and found herself back in the meeting room. She took a deep breath and let go of the book. Frank was looking at her, as if he was waiting for an answer. Frank spoke, "Did you want to take a look at it? It didn't look like there was anything interesting inside."

"The most interesting thing is the first page," Jason added. Hylla glanced to her right and saw that she had gathered an audience. Clarisse was standing off to the side and examining the book with a confused look. A few of the cabin leaders at Camp Half-Blood had made their way to the table. Hazel opened the front cover of the book to show the same picture of the wolf that Hylla had seen in her vision. "We have no clue what it means."

Rike stood and slowly walked towards them. She stared at the book and spoke, "That belongs to the most dangerous clan in Europe. Young demigods had dreams about joining them. They only took in the best."

"What happened to them?" Frank asked. Rike frowned and seemed to be thinking of the words. She finally turned towards Sarah and stared to speak in an ancient language. Sarah listened quietly and looked down at the table.

"The wolf clan was one of the leading powers in Europe for many years, even with the Council in power. The Council was able to pull more clans and groups under their control, but none of them were willing to go to war with the wolf clan," Sarah said. She frowned as Rike spoke in the ancient language once again. "There was a prophecy that Europe would forever be under their control, until only one of them was left alive."

"Years ago, someone decided to attack the wolf clan. Rumor states that it was the Council and a few of their hired goons. The wolf clan would have survived, but someone betrayed them and killed the leader. With the loss of their leader, the clan just fell apart for some reason and was absolutely destroyed. Only one member was left alive, and they barely survived. They were found with a knife buried in their stomach," Sarah said.

"Did the prophecy save them?" Hylla asked. She leaned forward and tried to think. Seva was either the traitor or the one member of the clan that was left alive. Why would she be on the Council though? Hylla looked down at the book again and knew that her answers were in the visions,but how could she draw it out again?

Rike shook her head and seemed to think. She spoke, "The story goes that the last one of the wolf clan managed to injure their attacker and get away. They returned with anger and turned the Council members against the leaders. They remade the Council with five members instead of three. Their name is not known to me."

"Her name is Seva," Hylla said. She studied the book. "I met with Seva two days ago, and we were both attacked. Seva had the same tattoo as the first page of that book. Why does Camp Jupiter have the book though? If you guys were involved with the destruction of the wolf clan, I think Seva will annihilate you."

"We weren't," Frank said. He motioned to the book. "That was passed off to one of our praetor. Maybe, they were involved with the attack, but Camp Jupiter, as a whole, did nothing. This whole Council thing will be behind us, after we make peace with the Sixth Legion."

"If you make peace," Clarisse interrupted. Everyone turned to look at her. "We all remember what Camp Jupiter did to Reyna. Between the exiling and the flogging, I would be craving a little revenge. With the Council at their back, you guys would be screwed."

"We will make peace," Annabeth said. Hylla turned around and watched the daughter of Athena walk into the room. Percy followed behind her. "We heard about what happened. Is everyone okay?"

Hylla stepped back and watched the other demigods meet up with their friends. She walked back to her seat and sat down. If there was one demigod she hated above all the others, it was Annabeth. The daughter of Athena had been against Reyna at every twist and turn. From what Hylla knew, Annabeth had been gone for about a month, and now, she was just going to return, with no one questioning where she had gone.

"When are we starting?" Hylla muttered. She glanced at Sarah. The demititan only shrugged and stared at the table. Sarah clearly didn't care about the meeting and was probably only there to translate for Rike. Why didn't the demititans just skip the meeting though?

Chiron walked towards them and stopped near Hylla. He slowly looked at her and spoke, "Thalia should be here in a few minutes, and then, we can begin. Are you doing okay?"

"Just need some fresh air," Hylla muttered. She stood and walked out of the room. Hylla needed to calm herself down before she could get upset. It wouldn't do to get mad during the meeting. She just needed to finish it and get out. Hylla stepped outside and sat down in the grass.

The street in front of her was full of cars that were driving past, without a care in the world. Part of her wondered what it would be like to be a normal mortal. She wouldn't have to worry about monsters, other demigods, and the danger that came with her mere existence. Hylla sighed and shook her head. It wouldn't do to dwell on things that she couldn't control.

Hylla heard footsteps behind her. She sighed and assumed that Thalia had made it to the meeting. Hylla took a deep breath and stood. The only thing she could do was keep her calm and make it through the meeting. She turned around and stared.

"Hey," Reyna said. Hylla stared at her sister. She tried to speak, but nothing came out. It had been over a month since she had last seen her sister. There had been no communication between the two. Hylla walked towards Reyna and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter," Hylla whispered. She held her younger sister close and didn't let go. "I'm not mad. I'm happy to see you, but you just have to promise to keep in contact with me."

"I will," Reyna promised. After a few moments, she slowly pulled away. Hylla looked at her younger sister. "I was in a really bad place for awhile, but I'm good now. I wanted to get in contact with you, but with the assassins lurking, I couldn't risk it. For now on, we'll stay in contact."

Hylla watched Reyna. She had been angry and upset about being ignored, but now, all she cared about was that her sister was safe. Hylla slowly looked at the entrance to the building. The meeting was going to begin soon.

"I figured they would want to hear from the Sixth Legion," Reyna said. Hylla nodded slightly and studied her little sister. Reyna was wearing the armor that marked her as a member of the Sixth Legion, minus her helmet. The scar on her eyebrow was hard to see, but the one on her lip was still prominent. "My negotiator, Aquitaine, needs to stay off of her leg, and despite how awkward it will be, they need to hear from me."

"I have your back," Hylla promised. She gently grabbed Reyna's shoulder. "Speaking of backs, how is yours doing? I haven't forgotten what that barbarian did to you, and I haven't forgotten that Camp Jupiter allowed it."

"I'm better," Reyna answered. "I can do a lot of physical activity, but our doctor has been monitoring me closely. We better get inside there and begin the meeting. When we're done, you and I need to have lunch and catch up."

Hylla smiled and wrapped her arm around her sister's shoulders. She didn't really care about what had happened the past few days. All she cared about was being able to sit down with her sister and actually spend time with her. That was all she could ask for. All they had to do was survive a meeting without flipping out on the other demigods. Hylla just hoped they could do it.


	9. No Good Deed

When Reyna walked into the meeting room, she wasn't surprised that everyone turned their heads and stared at her. They all seemed surprised to see her, but she just ignored it. Reyna knew that they wouldn't be too happy to see her, but she was only there to attend the meeting and speak to Clarisse. They would have questions for the Sixth Legion, and she would answer them.

Reyna slowly looked around the room and met eyes with Annabeth. The daughter of Athena was standing right next to Frank, but her eyes were fully on Reyna. Annabeth didn't move her eyes, so Reyna forced herself to look away. She walked towards an empty chair and sat in it.

Sarah glanced at her and gave the smallest of waves. A woman next to Sarah leaned forward to examine Reyna. After a moment, Hylla sat by Reyna and gently pressed her knee against Reyna's. It was her attempt at comfort. Kinzie looked at both of them and smiled slightly.

"I didn't think you would be here," Frank began. Reyna slowly looked at him. Her eyes moved to the book that was on the table in front of him. Reyna looked back up at Frank. Did he realize how powerful the book was? "If anyone did come today, we figured it would be Aquitaine."

"Chiron sent a message that everyone was meeting to discuss what happened. I figured you would want to hear from the Sixth Legion, and I have some business that I need to take care of," Reyna answered. She kept her tone emotionless, but her eyes moved towards Clarisse.

Clarisse raised an eyebrow but nodded slightly. She seemed to understand Reyna's message. Annabeth looked in between the two, and it was clearly killing her that she didn't know what was going on. Reyna looked back at the book again. It took her a moment to look at Frank.

Frank slowly stood and grabbed the book. He frowned and looked down at it. After a moment, Frank walked towards Reyna and held it out. Reyna took the book and slowly pulled off her backpack. She slipped the book inside. Frank spoke, "Does this mean that Camp Jupiter and the Sixth Legion are done being at war?"

Reyna looked directly at Lupa and spoke, "After I give this to the Council, I will contact you and let you know their decision. I'm sure they will be happy that we have come to an agreement, as long as you keep your praetors under control."

It was impossible to miss the hurt in Frank's face. He finally turned away and sat back in his seat. Reyna met Lupa's eyes, and the wolf goddess gave her a slight nod. Reyna ignored all of the eyes that were on her. She heard the last person step into the room.

Out of the corner of her eye, Reyna saw Annabeth grab onto Thalia's arm and whisper to her. Thalia absolutely hated Reyna, and she clearly wasn't happy to see Reyna at the meeting. Chiron cleared his throat and spoke, "From what we have gathered, almost all of you were attacked by assassins, but timely assistance from the Sixth Legion kept the assassins from their goal."

"How did you know about the assassinations in the first place?" Thalia asked. She was glaring at Reyna. "It just seems like a really weird coincidence that the Sixth Legion knew all about these assassins and didn't tell us anything. They allowed it to happen and just tried to run interference. That doesn't make sense to me."

"Reyna doesn't trust any of you, so she didn't tell you," Clarisse interrupted. Everyone turned their attention to her. "Now isn't the time for us to be making accusations about each other. You don't have to like Reyna or even trust her, but she is the reason all of you are alive."

Reyna remained quiet and allowed the demigods to look in between her, Clarisse, and Thalia. She glanced at her sister and then looked back at the wall in front of her. Sarah cleared her throat and spoke, "We first learned about this when Red attacked me."

"Red claimed that there was injustices in the world that needed to be corrected, but most of the Titans didn't care about their cause. While we were fighting, Red's mother, Eris, showed up and told Red that anyone seen like a leader would have to be taken out, after Metis was defeated," Sarah said. "Eris claimed to have been causing disputes everywhere. When Hylla and Kinzie showed up, Red killed herself, instead of facing them."

Reyna looked off to the side and remembered the creature with the pocket watch. Time had frozen around them, and the creature told Reyna about how someone was going to find locked away warriors and bring them back. Those warriors were the assassins. Could Reyna tell everyone though? They would blame her, since the creature claimed it was Reyna's fault.

"Eris also claimed to convince Annabeth to reveal Reyna's patricide," Sarah added. She glanced at Reyna and then looked at Annabeth. "It was part of Eris' plan to get Reyna exiled and divide all of you. Her plan has worked to perfection."

"Eris didn't convince me to do anything," Annabeth began. She frowned and seemed to think. Reyna leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. She clenched her fist tightly and tried to calm herself. The last thing she needed to do was snap on the people that she needed to be working with.

"It doesn't matter," Reyna interrupted. She glanced at Annabeth. "The past is in the past. We traced one of the assassins back to a warehouse, and we managed to find a few other of the assassins. We passed pictures along to all of the clans in Rome, but no one seemed to recognize them."

Reyna pulled the pictures out of her backpack and passed them around the table. Frank looked at one and spoke, "That's the woman who attacked us. She was a child of Pluto, but we don't know anything about her. The woman's blood was also black."

"Black blood is a rare affliction for children of Hades," Chiron said. "It means their powers are enhanced, but they cannot give or receive blood. Many wounds can be fatal to them."

"She should have been dead," Frank commented. He glanced around. "Somehow, she was able to use shadow travel to escape. The other man that was with her was a demigod that didn't seem to be claimed. He may have just been someone that felt lost in the world and was recruited by whoever organized this."

"Prometheus gave us a few files on the attackers," Sarah said. She dropped four files on the table and crossed her arms. "It has pictures and handwritten notes. Some of the notes seem to be many years old and written in foreign languages. It's an invaluable tool."

"And, it comes at a price," Ryke added. She placed her hand to the files and looked directly at Chiron. "I have seen and heard all of the things the demigods have done to us. Why should we hand this over to you?"

"We have to work together," Annabeth said quickly. She looked at Sarah. "I know that you're upset about how the demigods have been treating you, but this is the time for all of us to come together. After we deal with the assassins, we can work on our relationship."

"How many times have we heard that work together line?" Sarah snapped. She stood angrily. "The demigods have treated us like we are their slaves. We have done everything that you have asked of us, and where has it gotten us? Demigods insult us behind our back and talk to us like we are children. I've been assaulted physically by the queen of the Amazons and verbally by Thalia. You treat us like we are nothing."

"We've been so scared of the wrath of the Olympians, but I'm done being scared," Sarah continued. She looked at Ryke and nodded. Ryke smirked and picked up the files. She held them in her open palm, and after a few moments, the file started to burn. It quickly went from the most important pieces of papers in the world to a pile of ash.

Sarah walked out of the room without another word. Ryke allowed the ashes to fall through her fingers. She spoke, "Do not try to find us."

Reyna watched the demititan leave the room. She was surprised that the demititans had lashed out, but she knew that Sarah's anger had been building for a long time. Annabeth stood and quickly followed after the demititans. After a moment, Chiron followed after them.

"This meeting would have been fine without you here," Thalia snapped. She looked right at Reyna and stood. Reyna simply watched her and remained silent. She wasn't going to say anything that could be used against her. Thalia looked at Hylla. "You're the entire reason we are in this mess."

"Don't even try to blame me for this," Hylla said. Reyna grabbed her sister's knee and shot her a look. Hylla glanced at her, and there was pure anger in her eyes. "I'm not the only one who has treated the demititans terribly, and I didn't even know there was going to be assassins."

"If you hadn't convinced me to start talking to Circe, we wouldn't have been charmspeaked, and Ares' shield would have never been stolen. You are the entire reason all of those wars happened! You ruined your sister's life and the lives of everyone else in this room," Thalia said.

"Enough," Reyna snapped. She could handle any insults thrown her way, but she wouldn't allow her sister to be insulted. Reyna glanced at Hylla. "This isn't the point of the meeting. We are suppose to discuss the assassins. Arguing will get us nowhere."

"This meeting was a failure from the start," Thalia snapped. She turned towards Frank. "I know why you wanted to exile Reyna. She is suppose to kill Leo and Hazel, isn't she? They escaped death."

"What?" Hazel asked. Her eyes moved towards Reyna, and the shock on her face was clear. Reyna had assumed that Hazel knew that Reyna had been assigned to kill her, but it seemed like that had been kept a secret. "Frank, is Thalia telling the truth?"

"Thalia, that is enough," Reyna said. She stood and looked right at Thalia. "You and I have our issues, so why don't the two of us try and work it out?"

"No," Thalia said. She stood as well and walked towards Reyna. Thalia shoved Reyna backwards into the wall and raised a fist. Hylla started to stand, but Reyna gave her a look. Her sister slowly sat back down. "You never suffered the consequences for what you did, even though everyone said you would. Artemis has decided that we are no longer going to work with anyone that associates themselves with you."

Reyna remained silent and watched Thalia lower her fist. Thalia looked like she wanted to say more, but instead, she turned and walked out of the room. Reyna sighed and looked around the meeting room. She spoke, "It was a mistake to come here. I will be leaving, and any questions can be directed to our negotiator."

Reyna left the room and walked down the hallway. She didn't bother to pay attention to her surroundings, until she was outside. Part of her hoped they would have gotten somewhere with the meeting, but the other part of her knew it was a waste of time. Reyna sighed and heard footsteps.

"We should get out of here before tempers explode," Hylla said. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder. It took Reyna a moment to look at her older sister. "We both knew this meeting was only going to confirm the fact that we can't work with Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood, but we don't need them. The two of us can handle this, together."

"You two don't have to be alone," Clarisse interrupted. She stepped out of the building behind them and looked around. Reyna slowly looked at Clarisse. "I held up my end of the bargain and told you all about the leader's whereabouts, so you could keep an eye on them. Where is the information you promised me?"

Reyna opened her backpack and pulled out a binder. She handed it to Clarisse and spoke, "This is all we have. We've been stonewalled everywhere we go, but I did have something else left in my office."

Reyna slowly grabbed the box out of her backpack and held it out towards Clarisse. She slowly opened the box and heard the humming again. Reyna could feel the power coming from the string, and Clarisse seemed to sense it as well. Reyna spoke, "I asked Atropos what it was, and she didn't even acknowledge the string. It's like she couldn't see it."

Clarisse took the box and stared at it. After a moment, she closed the box. Reyna took a deep breath and sighed as the humming ended. Something about the string just drew her in, but she knew the string wasn't meant for her. Clarisse placed the box into her pocket.

"There was ash," Clarisse muttered. She met Reyna's eyes and nodded. Both of them remembered the general of the damned. It was a creature made of ash that had helped them during the war with Metis. "I'll follow up on this. I saw that you have a lot of things on your plate. Be safe, imperator,"

"You too," Reyna said. Clarisse smirked and walked away. Hylla gently grabbed Reyna's shoulder. Reyna looked at her sister and smiled. For a small moment, it felt like everything would be okay. "I still owe you a lunch. Let's get out of here before anyone else tries to blame us for something."


	10. Lingchi

Eris stared at the device in her front of her. The demigods called it a laptop, and according to the nerd in front of her, the laptop was showing them a live feed of Annabeth's view. Apparently, one of them had stuck a camera onto the jacket that Eirene gave to the daughter of Athena. The volume on the camera wasn't the best, but Eris didn't need to be able to hear everything to know that there was a fight brewing.

They had all watched what the demigods called a meeting. It seemed to divide everyone in the meeting more than anything. The demititans had walked out, and a fight had almost broken out between the lieutenant of Artemis and the reaper. Eris loved watching every single moment of it.

Now, Annabeth was chasing after the demititans. She had grabbed onto the arm of the girl that seemed to be named Sarah. Annabeth spoke, "You both need to calm down and think about this. I know that you're still grieving, and everything that has happened is not helping with the process."

"Shut up," Sarah snapped. She turned and shoved Annabeth backwards. The camera blackened for a moment and showed the sky. "You don't understand how I feel at all! You aren't even listening to me! The demititans are done with all of you."

"Sarah, let's go," the other demititan said. Annabeth stood, and the camera focused back on the two demititans. After a moment, Sarah allowed herself to be led away, and they quickly disappeared around a corner. Annabeth sighed and turned towards Chiron.

"We have to give them time to calm down," Chiron said. Eris smirked. She liked the old Centaur. He thought that time would heal all wounds, but he was very wrong. Time was the enemy of the demigods, and they were quickly running out of it.

"We can't trust Reyna or the Sixth Legion," Annabeth said. She sighed. "I know something that you can't tell anyone else. Arcadia is the one who planned out the assassinations. She used old members of the Sixth Legion for it. I don't think Reyna is involved yet, but if they can threaten Hylla, she'll do exactly what they want."

"Are you sure?" Chiron asked. Annabeth quickly nodded. Eris looked away from the laptop and stood. The nerd that sat by it typed into his laptop but didn't say anymore words. She turned her head and saw Burza was leaning on a wall. Lightning was dancing in her eyes, which meant she was angry.

Eris walked towards the daughter of Jupiter and put a hand on her shoulder. She knew that Burza and Beleza had been arguing for hours on end. On one hand, Eris loved the power she felt from it. On the other hand, the two really needed to work together.

"We found that Sixth Legion exile," Burza muttered. "They were leading her over to Sixth Legion territory, but they were easily dispatched. We just finished getting here her by shadow travel or whatever that idiots calls it. Can we get this over with?"

"You have a lot of anger that you need to work out," Eris commented. Burza glared but pushed herself off of the wall. She stormed out of the room, and Eris followed behind. She was led through the complex, and after a minute of walking, she was sure that Burza was just leading her around. "Where did you put the exile?"

"In the interrogation room," Burza answered. After a moment, she smirked. "I mean the friendship room. That's what Eirene wanted us to call it, right? Cause torture is so bad. I don't understand why she is so uptight. All she has to do is chill out every once in awhile, but she can't seem to do that."

Eris completely zoned out of the demigod's ramblings. She thought that her own attitude was bad, but Burza was something new. It was no surprise that she was kicked out of her old group, or was she the one who had been burned alive? Burza also could have been the demigod that suffered the ironic death, but Eris didn't care enough to remember.

The two made it to a room with a one way mirror. Eris glanced inside to see the exile sitting at a table. Eirene was sitting across from her and just watching. The exile had plates of food in front of her and was eating quietly. Eris spoke," What's her name? I forgot."

"She was called Nikaia, but now, she calls herself Valk. Stupid names," Burza muttered. Eris agreed. While the exile was limited to city names while in the legion, Nikaia was a horrible name to choose. She was given another chance to pick her name after being exiled and decided on Valk. How could she be so bad at choosing names?

Eris stepped into the room and walked towards the table. She sat on it and looked down at Valk. The demigod looked at them and then examined the meat on her plate. Valk seemed to be expecting something that was raw and tasted more like human flesh.

"The Sixth Legion isn't going to be happy that I wasn't handed over. My clan will not be happy that you maimed three of them to get to me. I must be important, so what do the two of you want with me?" Valk wondered. She took a large bite of the meat and seemed disappointed that it was well cooked.

"We don't care about how the Sixth Legion feels. We only want to know everything about them, and you are the only person in this world that has been inside their base and is not under their thumb. I know that the Sixth Legion is an absolute threat to the peace of this world. I need to know everything about them, so I can stop them," Eirene said.

Valk looked at them and suddenly smirked. She spoke, "If you two think that I am going to sell my former friends down the river, you are damn right. They wiped the memory of their base from my mind, but I remember everything about them. You can ask anything you want."

"I want the Sixth Legion to be systematically destroyed. When we are done with them, I don't want there to be any trace left of them. Who must we eliminate to assure the destruction of the Sixth Legion?" Eirene asked.

"Arcadia, since she's a goddess, is your biggest threat. I'm sure you both have heard all about her," Valk said. "She was Caesar's right hand, but I've heard that there is a new imperator. I cannot comment on their relationship, but Arcadia has always been loyal to the Sixth Legion. It would be impossible to divide them."

"We have a plan for Arcadia," Eirene said. She glanced at Eris, and after a moment, Eris nodded. She had many ideas for what to do with the pesky goddess, and most of them involved Kronos' sword, after some fun time of course. "I am more worried about the other demigods. We have a few guesses on who the most important demigods are, but you can confirm it for us. Tell us about Sparta. You two don't seem to be friends."

"Sparta is a runt. I use that as an insult, but it is also the truth. She's the result of a mortal having relations with a god and not wanting the child. Rumors say that Sparta's mom always had a bottle in her hand. When Sparta was still a baby, her mother dropped her off in a forest in Rome. Something took her in and led her to the Sixth Legion."

"Does anyone know who her mother is? Does she have a name that we can track to try and find family members that we can threaten?" Eirene asked. Valk shook her head. "Do you have any idea of what her real name might be?"

"I don't think she ever got one," Valk admitted. "A mother doesn't just drop their child off in the forest, if they cared for that child even a small bit. Sparta's mother is the reason she is a runt, and Sparta is not as big or strong as other children of Mars. Her temper is the biggest thing about her."

"How bad is her temper?" Eris questioned. She knew how easily anger could fracture a relationship. "Can we use that temper to cause a rift between her and others of the Sixth Legions or anyone outside of the Sixth Legion?"

"It's a little too easy to use Sparta's temper, especially if she is alone. She's seen as a face of the sixth Legion, so if she does anything to make the Sixth Legion look bad, everyone will know," Valk said. She seemed to think about it and suddenly smirked. "I want Sparta, and I want to hurt her even worse than she hurt me."

"Deal," Eirene said. Eris glanced at Eirene. Did she know the terrible things that Valk was going to do to Sparta, but with her newfound attitude, did Eirene even care? "You can do whatever you please with Sparta. All I ask is that you clean up any blood. How likely is it that Sparta will get into an argument with her friends?"

"Sparta has argued with everyone in the Sixth Legion, but the golden boy was always there to calm her down," Valk muttered. "I really hate the two of them. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely hate Sparta and want to break every bone in her body, but the golden boy that is named Bristol needs to be knocked down a couple pegs as well."

"How is this Bristol a golden boy?" Eris interrupted. She felt Eirene nudge her and saw the goddess of peace motion to an empty cup near Valk. There was a pitcher of something that looked horrible next to the cup. Did Eirene really want Eris to pour the liquid into the cup? That was so beneath her.

After a glare from Eirene, Eris sighed and relented. She poured the liquid from the pitcher into the cup and almost gagged at the smell. Valk took a large gulp of the liquid and spoke, "From day one, Bristol could do no wrong. Caesar absolutely loved him. The day that Bristol joined was the day that my life was ruined."

"I do feel bad that an innocent mortal died," Valk continued. She looked away and sighed. "She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A severion was about to stab me in the chest, and Aquitaine desperately threw her knife. It missed him by a centimeter and hit the mortal behind him: Bristol's wife. Aquitaine's dagger was made of steel. It was just a mistake."

"Aquitaine and I just stared at the mortal. The severion kicked me in face and grabbed an explosive vial from my belt. It was a homebrew recipe and almost as nasty as Greek fire. I don't know what happened after that. I just know there was an explosion, and I woke in a hotel room. Aquitaine was sitting in a chair and just staring at the wall. She didn't tell me what happened," Valk muttered.

"It took some time, but Bristol hunted us down and told Caesar about what happened," Valk said. She sighed and leaned back. Anger took over her features. "Around that time, I went on my final mission. Sparta completely screwed that mission for us, but I took the blame. When Caesar confronted me about it, I tried to spare Aquitaine from any blame and told him the truth about what happened during that mission and with Bristol's wife. The next thing I remember is being tied up and thrown from a waterfall."

"What can you tell us about Aquitaine?" Eirene asked. Valk froze and slowly looked up at them. Her eyes slowly moved back to the table, and silence filled the room. "It sounds as if the two of you were close. We will try to spare her the best that we can."

"The thing that calls herself Aquitaine is a monster," Valk whispered. "There is something very evil inside of her, but there are not many people who know about it. Aquitaine can play the part of a human very well, but it is all a calculated act."

"I know what she is," Valk stated. She looked up. "Aquitaine, before she joined the legion, was and always will be a severion. I think she is the most dangerous severion alive, and the Sixth Legion was her only way of staying safe. Caesar got a dangerous killer, and she found a safe place."

"Severion?" Eirene asked. Eris glanced at her fellow goddess and smirked. Even with Eirene's newfound bad side, she didn't know too much about the dark side of the demigod world. Eirene looked at her. "I assume this is something I should know."

"Severions are bounty hunters," Valk said. "There is an empty temple in Greece that has the name of demigods carved into the wall. Any immortal can walk into the temple and add a name to the list. Sevions will find a name that they want to eliminate, mark it, and hunt their prey. When they eliminate the demigod they are hunting, the demigod's name is burned into their arm."

"The list starts at the wrist and moves up the arm, ending at the shoulder," Eris added. "There have been a few severions that have the names down to the middle of their forearm, and that would mean they eliminated about eight demigods . Monsters usually get them after that. Severions don't attack each other, if I recall correctly. Their only two rules are to not steal bounties or attack each other."

"She's right," Valk said. "Aquitaine always wore a sleeve on her right arm. I thought it was some kind of bad burn or injury, but when I saw black ink on her wrist one night, I knew what she was. I've never seen the full tattoo, but she always had her entire right arm covered."

"How do we drive a wedge between them?" Eirene muttered. It seemed like she was talking to herself instead of them. Eris sighed and looked at the ceiling. She hated when Eirene started talking to herself. It was weird.

"The Council is the only thing keeping a lot of clans from the Sixth Legion. If you can turn the leaders of the Council against the Sixth Legion, you can lead to their demise," Valk said. "As for driving a wedge in between the members, I always find that poking and prodding at old wounds to be the most effective."

"You have been very helpful," Eirene said. She stood and motioned for Eris to leave the room. Eris didn't need to be told twice. She stood and walked out of the room. "My peacekeepers will find a room for you, and we may be able to find food more suited to your tastes."

Valk smirked and leaned back in the chair. Eirene closed the door and turned to look at Eris. The two goddesses watched each other. Eris cleared her throat and spoke, "We should put a bounty on them as well. It will keep them in their base."

"Agreed," Eirene said. She started to walk down the hallway, and Eris followed. "Make Aquitaine's bounty the highest and leak the word that she is a severion. I don't want the negotiator for the Sixth Legion to have free reign. I'm going to send a peacekeeper to learn more about the Council. It's time to cut off the Sixth Legion from their allies and allow them to slowly bleed out."

"A thousand cuts," Eris said. She smirked and enjoyed the idea a little too much. As the noose started to close around the Sixth Legion, they would begin fighting each other. She was very excited to see it happen. "We still have the problem of Annabeth Chase. What are we going to do with her?"

"Annabeth is still useful, for now," Eirene said. "When it is time for her demise, it will be by the hand of Reyna. That will be the final divide that the demigods need. We have much to do though. The end of the Sixth Legion is near. We will allow them to have one more night of peace though. They'll need it."


	11. Simul

Hylla rested her feet on the chair across from her and glanced around the restaurant. It was owned by the mother of one of her Amazons, and it was suppose to have great food. Hylla had only been there a few times to pick up information about demigods that came by. It was a great way to keep tabs on demigods from Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter.

Hylla moved her eyes to look at her younger sister. Reyna was looking down at the menu and seemed to be relaxed, for once. Hylla glanced around the restaurant once again. They had part of the room to themselves, and it was nice to finally be alone with her sister and not be at each others' throats.

"I am sorry," Reyna whispered. She slowly looked up and met Hylla's eyes. "I still remember when I told you that everything was your fault. I disowned you. I'm so sorry about that. I said terrible things to you, and I think about and regret it everyday."

Hylla looked away for a moment. She swallowed painfully and spoke, "I should be apologizing. I didn't believe you when you said that you didn't kill any of those senators. I lost faith in you and didn't believe that you were being framed. That's not going to happen anymore. I have your back, from now until the end. I promise."

Reyna remained silent for a few moments and nodded. She spoke, "I've been thinking a lot over the past month. The two of us don't have to stick together, Hylla. I have made a lot of enemies, and I don't want any of them to hurt you. If you want us to go our separate ways, I understand."

"No," Hylla said quickly. She looked at Reyna and shook her head. "No. I didn't have your back before, but I have it now. Sure, you pissed off pretty much every immortal and demigod that you can, but who doesn't love a challenge? You're my sister, and nothing will ever change that."

"I just want you to be safe," Reyna whispered. Hylla smirked and leaned back in the seat. She glanced down at the menu and read it quietly. "I guess we're never safe, right? I have your back too, Hylla. We'll get through this together."

"We always do," Hylla commented. The two fell into a comfortable silence. A waitress came and took their order. Hylla didn't miss the sword that the woman was wearing on her hip, but she recognized the waitress from her prior visits. The sword was there just in case a monster wandered inside. "So, how is this whole Sixth Legion thing going?"

"It's interesting," Reyna answered. She sighed and seemed to think about it. "After everything that happened with being exiled and not having anywhere to go, it's nice to have a place with people that I know won't stab me in the back. At the same time, I don't like it. Everyone in the legion would fall on their sword, if I told them to."

"You're not going to be Caesar," Hylla said. Reyna looked away. "I've heard all the crap and all the insults that have been hurled your way. I know that you aren't going to turn into Caesar, and if anyone else says that, it's just talk."

"Yeah," Reyna muttered. She shook her head and sighed. The waitress dropped their drinks off and gave them a small smile. The waitress spoke, "Queen Hylla, the meal is on the house. Are you sure you wouldn't like any desserts? We have a special menu this week."

"I'll take a look," Hylla said. She kept her face neutral, as a menu was handed to her. Hylla slowly opened it and stared at the flashdrive that was laying inside. She slowly grabbed it and slid it into her pocket. "I don't think we'll be having any dessert. Thank you."

"Of course, Queen Hylla," the waitress said. She bowed her head and turned towards Reyna. "Imperator, we do hope you enjoy your dinner. If you two need anything, please call me over. Your food will be ready soon."

"Thank you," Reyna said. She watched the waitress walk away and glanced at Hylla. There was curiosity in her eyes. Hylla shook her head slightly. She had never received a flashdrive before, but there had to be something important on it.

"How have you been handling everything?" Hylla asked. She didn't want to think about anything other than her sister. "I know a lot of stuff happened, and I know that you didn't have anyone that was really on your side. I was told that you were seeing a therapist. How did that work out?"

"I went for like three visits," Reyna answered. She smiled slightly. "Atropos wanted me to keep seeing her, but it just didn't feel right. She didn't understand the things that I went through. I ended up talking to Arcadia about a lot of stuff that happened. She actually listened and helped a lot."

"Are you two close?" Hylla asked. Other than Arcadia having the attitude of a typical goddess, she seemed to be okay, but she didn't have faith in Reyna either. Hylla remembered the harsh words that Arcadia had said to Reyna.

"Yeah," Reyna admitted. She leaned back in the chair and looked ahead. "It's weird. Arcadia may be a goddess, but she's a lot more human than other immortals. Arcadia has a lot of hurt that has been building inside her. I think I helped her just as much as she helped me."

Hylla nodded and tried to consider her next question. She took a deep breath and spoke, "How are you doing mentally? I know you've been talking to Arcadia, but I also know that everything took a heavy toll on you. What's going on in your head?"

"I'm okay, for now," Reyna replied. She seemed to think about her next words and looked up at Hylla. There was almost a void in her eyes. "I can feel it though. It's in the back of my head, and it's almost too easy to fall back into the darkness. I'm just trying to avoid it."

"I did a lot of things that I regret, and I did a lot of things that I don't regret," Reyna continued. She looked away. Hylla grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed it gently. "I've learned that I'm not a good person. Annabeth and the others showed me that."

"You are a good person," Hylla began. Reyna shook her head and didn't say another word. Hylla watched her younger sister and tried to think of something to tell her sister that would make her feel better. It took her a minute to realize that words wouldn't do anything. "I mean what I said earlier. It doesn't matter what happens after today, Reyna. I have your back."

"Thank you," Reyna whispered. She sighed, and the two fell into another comfortable silence. Hylla turned her head and looked around the restaurant. For once, everything was peaceful. No one was yelling at them or threatening them, but she was sure the rest of the meal wouldn't go so well.

Hylla's mind wandered back to the meeting. They were completely divided, and it's exactly the way that the leader of the assassins wanted. Who even organized the assassins? It seemed like it was a powerful group of demigods, especially if her would be assassin was anything to go by.

It just didn't make sense to her though. How could the Olympians not offer help to any of their children? Hylla sighed and watched the waitress place food in front of the. She thanked the waitress and slowly began to eat. Half of her focus was on her sister. Reyna was staring at the table and seemed to be lost in thought.

"What have you been up to?" Reyna finally asked. Her eyes moved to her food, and she quietly started to eat. Hylla studied Reyna for a few moments and smiled. It felt nice to just have a meal with her sister and be able to relax.

"I've been solidifying my power in the Amazons and spending time with my wife," Hylla said. She smiled. "All of Circe's attendants that joined have been purged or have given their loyalty to me. We've been recruiting a lot to make up for our losses, but we also talked to Seva about a sort of alliance with the Council."

Reyna's eyes flickered up. She spoke, "I have yet to speak to Seva, but a lot of the members of the Sixth Legion don't like the Council. Arcadia told me that Caesar only joined them to save the Sixth Legion from being overran. A lot of the clans were gunning for the Sixth Legion."

"How does the Council treat you guys?" Hylla asked. From the small amount of time that she met Seva, her gut told her that Seva was a good person, but that was before she learned that Seva was the sole survivor of a massacre. It was even worse considering that the Sixth Legion was rumored to be involved.

"I haven't really had any interaction with any of them, and they usually speak to Aquitaine," Reyna admitted. "One of them, Anthony, seems to be the leader, even though they don't have an official one. They all seem to let him speak first and last on most matters. The other two I haven't heard much about, but I know they deal a lot with the treaties and situation within the clans. Seva is the one who meets with all of the clans."

"Arcadia told me that Seva always seems to disagree with the Sixth Legion on a lot of things," Reyna continued. "She thinks that it has something to do with Seva and Aquitaine both being daughters of Venus. Seva doesn't want anyone to think she's playing favorites."

"It's smart," Hylla commented. Reyna nodded and suddenly frowned. She glanced down at her pocket and pulled out a small disc. It was silver and seemed to have small writing on it. Reyna stood and glanced around. She motioned for Hylla to stand.

"Is there a bathroom in here?" Reyna asked. Hylla nodded and led her sister towards bathroom. She stepped inside and made sure that it was clear. Reyna closed the door behind them and walked towards the sink. She turned on the water and held the disc under it.

After a moment, Reyna placed the disc on the counter, and an Iris message appeared. Arcadia looked at the two of them and kept her gaze on Hylla. She spoke, "Imperator, the patrol reported back to us. Nikaia is gone, and all they found was a decimated patrol. Only one of them survived, and all they can speak of is someone wielding fire."

Hylla looked in between the two. Arcadia was expressionless, but it was nearly impossible to read the expression that Reyna had. It could have been anger or annoyance, but Hylla couldn't tell. That worried her. She had been able to read her sister well, but that didn't seem to be the case anymore.

"Someone was wielding fire? Like a child of Vulcan?" Reyna asked. Arcadia nodded slightly. Reyna crossed her arms and glanced at Hylla. They seemed to share the same thought. "There's only one child of Vulcan that we know can use fire, and they're rare enough that there wouldn't be two."

"Camp Half-Blood wouldn't get involved," Hylla began. Reyna sighed and seemed to think. Hylla leaned against the sink. With everything that was going on, would Camp Half-Blood really get involved with the business of the Sixth Legion?

"That son of Vulcan could have been acting on his own accord, or it could have been one of the assassins," Arcadia said. "From what I have seen with our reports on the assassins, I think they are the most powerful children of the Olympians. It should be easy to find out their identities, if the Olympians work with us."

"They won't trust Reyna, but I think I can figure it out," Hylla said. Reyna nodded and reached into her pocket. She handed another one of the discs towards Hylla. "Thanks. What is it?"

"All you have to do is open it and place a Denarius inside," Reyna said. She flashed a Roman coin and showed Hylla how the disc. She placed the coin inside and closed it. "Run water over it, and it will create a mist. When you toss the disc in the mist, all you have to do is say the name of the person you want to speak to. It will alert them, and all you have to do is wait for them to answer. Only members of the Sixth Legion have it."

"I'll take good care of it," Hylla promised. She placed the disc in her pocket and looked up at Arcadia. The goddess was watching the two of them closely. Arcadia's eyes moved back to Reyna, and she almost seemed to be waiting for orders.

"I'll be back soon," Reyna said. She looked up at Arcadia. "My sister and I are going to finish a lunch, but I will send you a message when we are done. Try to find out more about the assault. When I get back, we'll work on finding out the identities of the assassins."

"Of course, imperator," Arcadia said. Reyna nodded once and ran her hand through the Iris message. Hylla grabbed her sister's shoulder and rubbed it gently. Reyna looked at Hylla and smiled slightly. Hylla smiled back and let go of her sister.

"After we eat, there is a lot of stuff we have to talk about," Hylla said. She led her sister out of the bathroom and towards the table. "We can compare notes about everything, and I'll have my Amazons try and find out information about the assassins. I'll also try and contact the demititans. I need to apologize to Sarah."

"Give her a little time. She's still grieving, for a lot of things," Reyna said. She sat down at the table and looked at her sister. Hylla smiled and sat across from her sister. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace. Things were going okay. Hylla just hoped it stayed that way.


	12. Stringless

All Clarisse wanted to do was get a good night of sleep. She just wanted to get a full five hours of sleep and not have any interruptions. Of course, she had to have a dream. It started out in a large temple that was covered in sky blue tiles. Clarisse looked around and sighed as she saw a large statue of Zeus.

Did an immortal really need to pull her from a peaceful night of sleep, just to speak to her? Why couldn't they just stop by Camp Half-Blood, or even better, why couldn't they just leave her alone? Clarisse heard a door slam open, and she turned.

Someone stumbled into the temple and collapsed to their knees. They pull their helmet off and started to cough out blood. Clarisse almost sighed. It was one of those dreams. She started walking towards the person and examined them. At first glance, the person didn't seem to be familiar.

"Jupiter," a woman yelled. She stood and threw her helmet to the ground. There was blood covering everything below her nose, and fresh blood was trickling into her eyes. Clarisse thought the woman's hair was red, but she realized that it was drenched in blood. Her sky blue eyes were full of pain and anger. "Where are you?"

The woman walked forward and gripped her right arm. It was hanging loosely, and the armor seemed to be completely dented around her elbow. Clarisse stared at the woman and was almost impressed that she was still standing. Her armor was covered in blood, monster dust, mud, and something that looked to be green.

"Father, where are you?" the woman yelled. She walked towards a large statue and started to speak in Latin .Clarisse didn't know any Latin, but she was sure that profanities were flying from the woman's mouth. The woman finally turned away and made a pained noise.

"Burza, stand down," Jupiter said. Clarisse turned her head and looked at Jupiter. His eyes were focused directly on the woman in front of him: Burza. The two stared at each other, and Clarisse could just feel the tension. She could also see the a fight was brewing. "It's over."

"You knew," Burza snapped She took a few steps towards Jupiter. "You knew that we were walking into an ambush, and you did not tell me! They were all slaughtered, and all I could do was watch. You could have saved them, but you didn't tell me."

"I didn't," Jupiter confirmed. He sighed and almost sounded sad. "Burza, we both know that what you have been doing hasn't been for the good of your camp. All you care about is the fame, glory, and fortune. Camp Jupiter is the furthest thing from your mind."

"That's why you did this?" Burza demanded. She took another step forward. "My army was decimated, and Camp Jupiter has lost its best fighters. If we are attacked, there is nothing that we can do. I am the only one left."

Jupiter nodded. He spoke, "Yes. You are the only one left. I regret the loss of your loyalist, but your reign of terror must end. It's the end of the line, Burza. Drop your weapon and cloak. There is still time for you to make this right."

"No," Burza said. She grabbed a small, bronze cylinder from her belt. Lighting slowly pushed out from each side, until it formed a javelin. Burza threw the javelin at her father. Jupiter dodged to the side and shot lightning at Burza.

Lightning slammed into Burza's chest and threw her across the room. Burza hit the ground hard and slid across it. She rolled onto her back and started coughing out blood. Jupiter walked towards Burza and stood over her. He spoke, "I'm sorry."

"You're scared of what you created," Burza said. She smirked and laid her head back. Burza started to sit up. Jupiter grabbed her shoulder, and was suddenly stabbed in the chest. Burza slammed Jupiter to the ground and placed a foot to his throat. "You were always scared that a son would overthrow you."

"I never did let fate dictate my life," Burza taunted. She twisted the sword and smirked. "This is the end for you, father. The great ruler of Olympus will die by his daughter's hand. I'll storm Pluto's gates and bring my army back. None of you can stop me."

"Praetor," another voice growled. Clarisse turned her head and saw Lupa appear from the shadows. Burza gripped her sword, and lightning appeared in her other hand. She looked between the two immortals and seemed to be cornered.

Burza let go of her sword and took a few steps backwards. Her eyes moved towards the exit. Suddenly, she turned and threw lightning at Lupa. Burza ran towards the exit, but a blur slammed into her. Burza hit the ground harder than before and cried out in pain. Lupa stood over her.

Burza tried to sit up but only ended up yelling in pain. Her injured arm looked even more twisted and mangled than before. The temple was filled with her pained breathing. Clarisse almost felt bad for the woman that she was watching, but what did she expect? No one stood up to the king of Olympus without consequences. Burza scooted backwards into the wall and spat more blood out.

"Jupiter, it is time to end this," Lupa said. Jupiter walked towards Burza and held her sword in his hands. After a moment, Burza tried to stand. Jupiter stabbed her in the chest, and he stared down at his daughter. His hand slowly let go of the sword.

Burza slid down the wall, and her head lolled forward. She didn't move after that. Jupiter fell to his knees and placed a hand to her neck. Jupiter closed his eyes and laid Burza on the ground. He closed her eyes and stared down at her.

"It had to be done," Lupa said. She walked towards Jupiter and looked down at Burza. "Her assault on Camp Half-Blood was already planned, and she was mere days from executing it. We both knew it would end this way."

Jupiter stood and spoke, "This is my fault. I should not have given her such power, but I thought she was different from the others. I thought she would finally be the maker of peace that I desired. Lupa, I need a moment alone. You will have to tell the others what happened. Don't spare any details."

"No," Lupa interrupted. "This will only divide Camp Jupiter even more than it already is. The story will go that Burza and her loyalists were killed in an ambush. I will set the story, and your daughter's legacy will not be ruined. No one can know what happened here, especially the Fates."

"Do they know what I have done?" Jupiter asked. Lupa didn't respond. A silence fell over the two, and Jupiter took a deep breath. It almost sounded like he was trying to keep himself together. It definitely didn't sound like the Jupiter that Clarisse knew. "Is this my punishment?"

"It may be," Lupa stated. "What is done is done though. You cannot live in regrets. All you can do is not allow another one of your children to become this powerful again. Leave it with her body. The Fates will handle it."

Jupiter nodded and held his hand out. A string appeared in it. Jupiter laid the string on Burza's chest and placed a hand to her face. He took a deep breath and stood. Jupiter finally left the temple. After a moment, Lupa followed behind.

Clarisse sighed and waited for the dream to end. Instead, she was left standing there. Clarisse slowly looked around and blinked a few times. So, was someone actually going to talk to her? Was this all a warning that she needed to be careful?

Clarisse heard footsteps on her right and turned her head. A cloaked figure walked towards Burza and knelt by her. They grabbed the string, and even though Clarisse couldn't see their face, she could just feel the smile. The cloaked figure examined the string and placed it into a pouch. Something told Clarisse that the figure was not one of the Fates, so who was she?

"I'll be back for you," the cloak figure whispered. They stood and disappeared back into the shadows. Clarisse blinked, and the dream started slipping away. Clarisse felt her feet start to sink into the ground, and she looked down to see ash.

When Clarisse looked up, she was standing in the middle of a clearing. There was ash covering the ground, and it looked like a building had recently burned down. Clarisse turned around and saw the general of the damned standing behind her.

"We are all connected," the general said. Clarisse studied the general and remained silent. The two had only spoken once before, and that was when the general told Clarisse about Discordia's plan to murder demigods. Clarisse had tried digging into where Eris was, but the goddess of strife seemed to have been in Greece the entire time. She was probably doing whatever crazy goddesses did.

"Children of war can talk to each other in dreams easier than others. I know the speech," Clarisse said. The general shook their head and motioned to Clarisse's pocket. Clarisse looked down and slowly pulled the box out of her pocket. She opened it and looked at the string inside. It was the same thing Reyna had given her.

"The stringless are connected," the general repeated. "And, we are wanted. Whoever had Discordia listening to them wants us for our power. We are beyond death, until our string is returned, but then, we are beyond others."

Clarisse stared at the general. She was sure that the Fates didn't just hand out the strings that literally held someone's life, so how anyone even get a hold of their strings? Clarisse looked down at the string in her hand and closed the box. She spoke, "How did you get yours?"

"This is the place that I died," the general said and looked around. "My last memory is being stabbed in the back and being left for dead. A man I considered to be a brother laid the trap for me. They covered the house in oil and tossed a lantern inside. Before the flames consumed me, a goddess appeared."

"She offered me peace, in exchange for my life," the general said. The general disappeared and slowly reappeared. Pain was all too clear in their voice. "I rejected the offer, and I woke hours later in this form. I would have been a spirit of vengeance, but instead, I became this. My string was never cut, and the Fates forgot about me."

"I don't understand how someone could even get your string," Clarisse began. Whoever the goddess was had to have used the same method as Jupiter. It still didn't make sense. The general shrugged and clearly didn't know. "How are you all connected then?"

"I know where their strings are. They were in the same place for a very long time, but then, they all moved. Each went to a different area. One went to the temple in your dream, and then, the string returned to where it had been resting," the general replied. "The others did as well."

Clarisse blinked a few times and stared at the general. If the general was telling the truth and if the strings were connected to the assassins, Clarisse could figure everything out. Clarisse spoke, "Where are the strings then?"

"I don't know," the general replied. Clarisse glared and clenched her fist. "I don't know this world outside of Rome. I could sense where they were, and I have seen flashes of their memories. I shared that one, but she will know that I did."

"Great," Clarisse muttered. She crossed her arms and looked up at the general. Clarisse couldn't be too mad at the general, but she was so close to vital information but so far. "Can you share more memories with me?"

"I can try," the general answered. Clarisse heard the pain in their voice, but what was a little pain for vital information? The general suddenly stumbled forward, and Clarisse instinctively went to grab them. She felt pain worse than any weapon wound, and Clarisse fell backwards.

The general collapsed into the ash, and Clarisse's dream shifted once again. She was sitting in a small room, and a woman was sitting across from her. Clarisse looked up and stared at the woman in front of her. There was no mistaking the features of Burza.

"And, what do we have here?" Burza wondered. She had a strong accent that Clarisse couldn't place, but her words were clear. Burza was wearing a full set of Roman armor, and her helmet was by her side. Clarisse slowly stood. "A Greek demigod? Why are you going through my memories?"

"Who were you sent to kill?" Clarisse asked. Burza smirked and leaned back in her seat. She ran a hand through her black hair. Sky blue eyes almost pierced into Clarisse's soul. "You know I'm going to stop your little scheme, right? I have no problem killing you to do it."

"You're not going to kill me," Burza said. She chuckled. "No one will. Jupiter already tried, and as you can see, he failed. Here's the thing, Greek. I had the world in my hands once before, and I will do it again. Is that understood?"

"You're just like all the rest," Clarisse said. She walked towards Burza and stopped in front of her. "We've dealt with schemes just like yours our entire lives, and we've always stopped them. Nothing makes you different."

"Why don't you ask Chiron what makes me different?" Burza asked. She stood and grabbed her helmet. Burza examined it for a moment and then looked at Clarisse. There was such a look of confidence in her eyes that Clarisse felt a little uneasy. "I'll be seeing you and your friends later."

Clarisse's eyes snapped open, and she laid her head back against her pillow. It took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and slowly sit up. Her mind slowly reflected over her dream, and she got to her feet. Clarisse walked towards the Big House.

As Clarisse stepped inside the Big House, she was surprised to see Chiron was by himself. She expected a swarm of demigods to be around him and looking for guidance. Clarisse walked towards the table he was sitting at and looked down. Three scrolls of paper stared back at her.

"Bounties?" Clarisse asked. She glanced at the one with the largest amount and found herself studying Aquitaine's face. The image was hand drawn, but it looked exactly like the Roman. Her eyes moved to the first few lines of writing. "For the assassination of the five kings, massacre of Kuhiling, and status as a severion. Did Aquitaine really do that much to have this much of a bounty."

"I don't know," Chiron replied. He looked up at Clarisse. "These arrived at on this table only a few minutes ago, and it is going to every single leader of any major demigod group. These bounties were something that Camp Jupiter use to do, but they haven't done it for a very long time. I can only fear the worst."

"Burza," Clarisse said. Chiron's face paled, and he slowly looked up. Clarisse told Chiron about her dream, and when she finished, the room fell into a heavy silence. Chiron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "She told me to ask you what makes her so special."

"I knew that Zeus did something terrible, and Burza paid the price for it. I didn't realize that he had stolen her string from the Fates. Without it, she could not die, but she could not live her life. I believe that Zeus tried to give the string to his daughter, and it drove her insane. She saw her own fate, and something snapped." Chiron said.

"There was no insanity in her eyes," Clarisse. "Power hungry? Sure. She knows what she is doing though. This is an easy fix though. We find Burza's allies and cut her off from them. It won't be hard at all."

"Clarisse, I'm not sure you understand. Burza was the leader of Camp Jupiter over a hundred years ago. She disappeared completely for all of those years, and I do not believe that she did so willingly. If your dream is anything to go by, she was in some kind of stasis or coma," Chiron explained.

Chiron took a deep breath and continued, "Whoever brought all of the assassins together must have known about Burza's string. That is a secret that not many immortals know. Burza is the most powerful demigod child of Zeus, in whatever form he desires, to ever live."

"She'll make a good challenge," Clarisse commented. She didn't really care how good everyone thought Burza was. Clarisse was more than happy to put her in the ground, and she would enjoy doing it. Clarisse went to stand, but Chiron held up his hand.

"Be safe," Chiron said quietly. He looked into Clarisse's eyes. "I will not lose anymore of my campers, especially not to the assassins. Whenever you tell Reyna about this, can you tell her that I would like to speak to her? I have been unfair to her, and we need to work together."

"Yeah," Clarisse answered. She crossed her arms and looked back at the bounties. "We should let Camp Jupiter know about this. Probably Thalia too. I'll let Reyna know though, but something tells me that she's going to be preoccupied with this. That's a good thing though. It's time Camp Half-Blood dealt with their own problems."


	13. What is Dead

"It hurts there the most," Reyna said. She gritted her teeth and took a deep breath as pressure was applied to her back. After a few moments, the pain started to disappear. Reyna took another deep breath and pressed her fist against her forehead. A hand gently grabbed her shoulder, and more pain spiked in her back.

Reyna cursed and completely tensed. After a minute of agonizing pain, Reyna was able to breath normally. She waited for the pain to completely disappear, and she slowly looked up. Avaris placed a hand to her neck and felt her pulse.

"It's the oddest thing," Avaris commented. She shook her head and gently grabbed onto one of Reyna's arms. Bristol grabbed the other, and the two were able to pull Reyna to her feet. She almost stumbled forward and more pain spiked in her back. "Sparring did it this time?"

"Yeah," Reyna replied. She managed to walk towards a table that held a few weapons and piece of armor. She leaned against it and stared at the ground. Bristol grabbed their training swords from the ground and sat them on the table by Reyna.

"The imperator disarmed me in the flash of an eye, but maybe, the movement was a little too fast," Bristol commented. He gave Reyna a concerned look and stood off to the side. Reyna looked down at the ground and could still feel small, stabbing pains in her back. It had been like that ever since she had been flogged. There was time when her back would completely lock up and give out on her.

"The medicine I gave you will kick in after a few minutes," Avaris promised. Reyna nodded once and closed her eyes in pain. She took a slow, deep breath and tried to focus on anything else but her back. "I recommend that you avoid sparring for the rest of this week and any lifting for the rest of today."

Reyna nodded and slowly looked up. The wounds on her back had healed, but it was her muscles that refused to do the same. She didn't know how to fix it, if they even could. Reyna sighed again and spoke, "I'll avoid both of those. You got here fast."

"I've been trying to hunt down Aquitaine," Avaris replied. She motioned for Reyna to stand from the table, and it took Reyna a few moments to comply. She managed to walk forward a few feet without agonizing pain shooting through her back. "She's avoiding a checkup with me."

"I'll talk to her," Reyna said. She sighed once again and took a few more steps forward. When she had no difficulty, she nodded to the two demigods behind her and walked out of the sparring room. Reyna walked through the long hallways and allowed her mind to drift.

Hylla had been adamant about working with Reyna to deal with the assassins. The only problem was that the two of them had no more information and had hit dead ends. The assassins had just seemed to disappear. Reyna was almost a little happy. She wanted to keep her sister safe.

Reyna stopped outside of the room that Aquitaine shared with a few others. Two demigods were polishing their armor and seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. Upon seeing Reyna, they jumped to their feet and quickly bowed.

"Have either of you seen Aquitaine? I need to speak with her," Reyna said. She glanced around the four beds in the room. The beds were completely spotless and were perfectly made. The dressers next to the beds were covered in trophies and other momentos, except one. Reyna glanced at the spotless dresser, which belonged to Aquitaine.

"I believe she was taking a message, imperator," Ayr answered. He was a son of Ceres that didn't talk much. Reyna nodded and glanced at the other demigod: Hatra. "Aquitaine seemed distracted this morning. I think her leg might be bothering her."

"Thank you," Reyna said. Ayr and Hatra both bowed to her, and Reyna walked out of the room. She walked back down the hallway that she had come from. It only took her a minute to reach her destination, and she stopped at the door. As Reyna raised her hand to knock, she heard angry voices.

"I have to tell the imperator," Aquitaine said. She cursed, and Reyna heard the sound of a table being hit. Reyna lowered her hand. She had never heard Aquitaine snap like that. Aquitaine was always so in control of herself and her emotions. "If we keep playing this game, it's going to blow up in our faces."

Reyna shook her head and knocked on the door. Aquitaine's business was not hers, and she wasn't going to listen in on anyone's conversation. After a few moments, Aquitaine opened the door. She stared at Reyna and quickly bowed. Pain flashed on her face for a moment.

"Imperator, I didn't realize it was you," Aquitaine began. She glanced back at a wall, which was probably where the Iris message had been. Her eyes flickered towards Reyna. "How can I serve you, imperator?"

"You've been avoiding a checkup," Reyna commented. Aquitaine nodded slightly and looked away. "How does your leg feel? It's looks you're in pain, and I've noticed that you've been limping everywhere."

"It hurts, imperator," Aquitaine admitted. She slowly sat on the table and looked down at her leg. "It hurts to walk, but the pain's even worse when I stand still. It's not healing, and I don't know why."

"For one, you haven't let Avaris take a look at it," Reyna said. She offered a hand to Aquitaine and helped her stand. "Second, you have been moving constantly, and that is my fault. I should have had you resting instead of watching over Camp Jupiter. It doesn't help that Nikaia attacked you."

Aquitaine's eye flickered away once again, and she crossed her arms. Reyna studied her for any other kind of reaction, but she didn't get one. Aquitaine finally sighed and spoke, "One of my contacts sent me a message and warned me that someone put a bounty on my head, along with Bristol and Sparta."

"Bounty?" Reyna asked. She crossed her arms. Aquitaine nodded and limped forward. Aquitaine limped out of the room, and after a moment, Reyna followed. The two of them walked towards Reyna's office.

"The early reports from my contacts aren't good," Aquitaine said. She sighed deeply and painfully. "The bounties are set in the range of over ten thousand of whatever currency is desired, with mine being the highest. They have to be working with Nikaia, as the bounties state missions and jobs that no one outside of the Sixth Legion knows that we have done."

Reyna nodded and stepped into her office. She saw three pieces of paper on her desk. It took her a moment to walk over and look at the bounties for Sparta, Aquitaine, and Bristol. She walked towards Aquitaine and handed the papers to her.

"How charming," Aquitaine muttered. Her eyes studied the bounties, and she slowly handed the papers back. Out of the corner of her eye, Reyna saw Arcadia appear at the door. Arcadia walked towards their side and examined the bounties.

"With your bounty being the highest, you can't leave this base," Reyna said. Aquitaine nodded and crossed her arms. "That's exactly what they want, isn't it? Is there a way to erase the bounty or see who created it?"

"Well, that's where it gets complicated," Aquitaine admitted. She looked down. "The type of paper and wording means this bounty was sealed by blood. I sent a message to another one of my contacts, and they were able to tell me what kind of blood: Greek. Specifically, a powerful child of Athena."

"Which could be one of the assassins or the one that has been a thorn in the imperator's side," Arcadia said. She shook her head "I have my guesses on which one it is. What should we do about this, imperator?"

"I don't know," Reyna admitted. She studied the bounties once again. Reyna glanced at Aquitaine. "You need to have Avaris look at your leg, now. That's an order. Let Sparta know she'll also be stuck in the infirmary, until Avaris gives her permission to leave."

"Y es, imperator," Aquitaine said. She didn't seem happy, but she bowed and turned away. Aquitaine limped out of the room. After a moment, Reyna turned towards Arcadia. She sat the bounties down and slowly sat in her chair.

"I heard that your back locked up on you again," Arcadia said. She walked towards Reyna, who only nodded. It took her a few moments to look away from the bounties. In the corner of the room, she saw a fountain flashing. "Shall I get it, imperator?"

"Go ahead," Reyna said. Aquitaine grabbed a coin from the desk and tossed it towards the fountain. It landed with perfect accuracy. An image of a man appeared in the fountain. The man's face was covered in a tribal tattoo, and there was a thin line of red going down the middle of his face. Despite the fact that he was the size of a small building, he was smiling.

"Imperator," the man greeted. Reyna nodded her own greeting and glanced at Arcadia. The goddess leaned on the wall and just studied the Iris message. The man glanced at her. "Arcadia, how is my favorite immortal doing? I haven't seen you, since our last training exercise."

"We've been busy in America," Arcadia replied. Reyna sat back and looked at the man in front of her. It was true that not many groups liked the Sixth Legion, but the man's group absolutely loved them. The group was based in Germany and was a holdover of old barbarians. "You missed the party, Sven."

"I always do," Sven said, and he followed it with a laugh. His face slowly grew serious. "I have two important pieces of information. I heard about the bounties, and I saw what happened to Sparta. How is my favorite demigod doing?"

"She's hurt, but she'll heal," Reyna replied. She saw the papers that Sven held in his hands. He flashed them for good measure, and Reyna nodded slightly. "We have a few guesses on who created the bounties. Do you know anything more about them?"

"No," Sven answered. He glanced around and smirked. Sven spoke in another language and grabbed a piece of paper. He read it and glanced back up. "I found it odd though. Someone knew many things about the Sixth Legion, and while I think your traitor has something to do with it, I know she had some helps. Imperator, do you know of the locked vault beneath the library of Alexandria?"

Reyna shook her head and looked to her right for answers. Arcadia spoke, "There's a vault of knowledge beneath the great library. For many years, it was open to everyone, but when the leader of the wolf clan was killed, the vault closed itself. Why are you wondering about it, Sven?"

"It was opened," Sven answered. Arcadia's mouth opened in shock. Reyna looked in between the two of them confused. Sven seemed to notice the look and smiled slightly. "It can only be opened by the blood of the wolf clan. When they first captured Europe, they tried to spread their influence to other regions. The library was taken and sealed by magic. It would only open when wolf clan blood touched the door."

"The wolf clan leader allowed anyone who begged permission and gave tribute to visit it," Sven continued. "It closed after his death, and we were left with the library unopened. One of my spies reported that the library was opened only a week ago, and the doors have been left open. Seva has been in a two week long Council session. It wasn't her."

"Are we sure that it can only be opened by wolf clan blood?" Reyna asked. Arcadia nodded. Something told Reyna that the goddess had tried to open it many times before. "What is to stop anyone from stealing blood from Seva?"

"It has to be fresh," Sven replied. "Even if it is only a minute old, it will not work. I believe that the wolf clan is not as destroyed as we believe. Even if this person does not consider themselves a part of the wolf clan any longer, they threaten Seva's power. Many fear the prophecy of the wolf clan."

"The one that states Europe will be under the wolf clan's control, until only one is alive?" Arcadia asked. Sven nodded. "Have you told Seva yet? She would want to know."

"No," Sven said. He crossed his arms. "My sister, who I believe you met during that little demigod meeting of yours, told me of the assassins. She also mentioned that some of them were powerful demigods that had disappeared. I think that one of those assassins was a member of the wolf clan. We need to find out who and soon. I have to go though. If I find anything out, I will let you know."

"Thank you," Reyna said. She watched Sven run a hand through the Iris message. Her eyes moved towards Arcadia. "What do you think of what he said?"

"It could be trouble," Arcadia admitted. "If this assassin can turn Seva against us, we will have a lot more problems on our hands. The assassin might even try to rally some of the clans away from the Council. The wolf clan has become a great fantasy in the past few years. Many clans would jump at the chance to even be half as good as they were."

"Great," Reyna said. She sighed and looked down at her desk. Reyna closed her eyes. "Can you follow the library lead? I'll try to figure out more about who really created the bounties. Hopefully, Hylla will be able to find something more solid."

"Of course, imperator," Arcadia said. She bowed and stepped out of the room. Reyna tried to stand, but pain flared in her back again. She groaned and slowly settled into her chair. It seemed like she was in for another night of going through paperwork. Hopefully, her back wouldn't keep her out of commission for too long.


	14. The Message

Eris really didn't know how things could get more degrading. She was assigned to provide Valk with anything that she asked, and on top of that, she had to follow Annabeth Chase around and help her out as well. Eirene expected Eris to keep Annabeth's curiosity satisfied and keep her from learning the dirty truth of the peacekeepers. It was almost impossible, but Eris was great enough that she managed to do it.

"I just hate all of this sitting around," Percy Jackson said. He was looking over the two bounties on the table in front of him. Annabeth was holding the third bounty up and studying it. Percy glanced at Eris and gave her another dirty look. He really didn't seem to trust her, and for some reason, everyone always said that Annabeth was the smart one.

"We don't know enough," Annabeth muttered. She placed the bounty down and looked at Eris. It took a few moments for Eris to make sure she didn't have a disgusted look on her face. Annabeth studied her for a moment. "Do you know anything about the three of them? I've talked to each of them, but this is just surprising. Who made the bounties?"

"It's impossible to tell," Eris lied. Of course, she had helped create the bounty, with most of the work being done by another peacekeeper. "It could be an enemy of the Sixth Legion, or someone who has problems with the three of them personally. I'm sure Sparta has many enemies. All children of Mars do."

Annabeth sighed and glanced at Percy. He was staring at Eris and not saying a word. Annabeth leaned towards him and whispered to him. Eris didn't care enough to listen in. All she wanted to do was be away from demigods.

Eris closed her eyes and allowed her thoughts to drift. The peacekeepers were growing restless, and Eris was as well. There was no reason to just sit there and hope things would happen. They would have to do it themselves. The peacekeepers would never move without Eirene's permission though.

Upon opening her eyes, Eris found that the two demigods were gone. She was definitely in trouble now. Eris stood and quickly walked out of the room. A look down each side of the hallway showed that the two demigods were nowhere in sight. Eris blinked a few times and sighed. Eirene was going to kill her.

Eris quickly made a right down the hallway and tried to find out where the two pests had gone. As she passed a room, she peeked inside and saw nothing. Eris did it for each room that she passed, but she had no luck. When she made it down the hall and to a room by itself, she saw one of the peacekeepers sitting inside.

The peacekeeper seemed to hear her, and he turned. He motioned for Eris to step into the room. Eris did and looked at the peacekeeper named Hilk. He was a child of Iris and one of the quieter peacekeepers. Hilk leaned back in his seat and motioned for Eris to close the door. She did and then turned her attention towards him.

"I just intercepted this message," Hilk said. He snapped his fingers and two Iris messages appeared. Eris leaned on the wall and looked at two messages. She knew that Hilk was able to replay old Iris messages, as long as they happened in the last three days. Eris didn't know the specifics of it, but the power was very useful. "Watch this."

Eris watched the two Iris messages. She knew that she was watching the same conversation, but they were able to see both sides of it. One of the messages showed Aquitaine. The Sixth Legion negotiator was standing with a scowl and crossed arms. The other woman had a small smile on her face.

Hilk snapped his fingers, and the two Iris messages started. Aquitaine glanced behind herself and slowly looked forward. She shook her head and spoke, "Did you see the bounties? We can't keep this charade up, especially now Seva."

"You worry too much," Seva said. Eris frowned. Wasn't that one of the members of the Council? "The plan is the same as it always has been, whether you like it or not. This just moves our timeline up a little more. Your imperator doesn't know anything, correct?"

"No, but she should. We kept this from Caesar, for good reason. Reyna is different though. I have to tell the imperator" Aquitaine said. Seva shook her head. Aquitaine cursed in another language and slammed her hand into the table. "If we keep playing this game, it is going to blow up in our faces."

"It's not a game," Seva said. There was a knock, and Aquitaine slowly turned around. "This plan has been brewing for years, and I will do what I must. You know what is going to happen, and you will do your part."

Seva raised her hand, and the Iris messages froze. Hilk glanced at Eris and seemed to be looking for a reaction. She gave him a small smirk and pushed herself off of the wall. Eris spoke, "I want someone to follow this lead. It sounds like Aquitaine knows some of the plans of a Council member. See how we can expose this."

"Of course," Hilk said. He snapped his fingers, and a few more Iris messages appeared. Hilk started flicking through them, and Eris left the room. He would need time alone to find anything useful, but he would also pass her message along. Now, Eris had to figure out where the two demigods had ran off to.

Eris wandered down the halls and once again peeked inside each of the rooms. Most were empty, and a few of them had sleeping peacekeepers inside. She couldn't find the two demigods she was looking for. If they stumbled into somewhere they weren't suppose to be, Eirene would probably kill Eris.

Upon looking into their main meeting room, Eris found an interesting scene in front of her. A peacekeepers was on both of their knees and staring up at Eirene. There helmet hid their face, but the power that came off of them was immense. It had to be Burza.

Burza almost seemed to be shaking. She glanced at Eris, who stepped into the room and closed the door. No one could see the scene. Burza looked back up at Eirene and spoke, "My lady, you have to listen to me. They were able to go through my memories, and they were able to see what happened that night. I'm sorry."

"What did they see?" Eirene demanded. She seemed to be in a state of shock. Eirene grabbed Burza by the back of her neck and pulled her to her feet. The hand moved to tightly grab Burza's shoulder. "You have to tell me what they saw in the memory. Did they see my face?"

"We both know I don't have any memory of it," Burza snapped. Eirene glared, and the demigod in front of her flinched. Burza looked down at the ground. "My lady, all I need is my string. I can tell you what was in that memory, and I can handle those pathetic demigods that call themselves leaders."

"You have been nothing more than a failure, ever since I brought you back," Eirene said. Burza flinched once again at the words and looked back at the ground. "I already told you that I must protect you from your string."

"I don't fear Fate," Burza muttered. She took a deep breath. "My lady, I need my full power. A demigod from Camp Half-Blood saw that night, and she managed to change the dream and confront me. She knows who I am. I have to be able to protect myself."

Eirene suddenly grabbed Burza by her neck and slammed her into the wall. Burza gasped in surprise and grabbed the hand wrapped around her neck. Eirene picked her up and tightened the grip. Eris stepped forward.

"Burza, I can't trust you," Eirene whispered. Burza gasped, and her face paled. Choking noises escaped her. "If it came down to it, you would sell me out in a second. Until you prove your loyalty, I can never hand your string to you. Is that understood?"

Burza didn't respond, and it looked like she was about to pass out. Eris grabbed onto Eirene's arm, and the goddess of peace let go of the demigod. Burza collapsed to her hands and knees and starting coughing and wheezing.

"Get out of my sight. Now," Eirene ordered. Burza slowly got to her feet and stumbled into the wall. She used the wall to help her walk out of the room. Eris listened to the sound of coughing slowly fade away. "Where are the demigods?"

"Distracted," Eris said. She really hoped they were. Eris looked back at the door. "Why can't they have their strings? It would make them stronger, and if they are going to take on an army of demigods, they need all of the power they can get."

"No," Eirene said. "I hold their string to protect them from themselves and the Fates. If they get their strings back, the Fates will realize that they never truly died. Their parents will be able to track them. I can't risk it."

"You trusted them to be your peacekeepers when they were alive and still had their strings," Eris began. She didn't want to risk the new and unexpected wrath of Eirene to be turned on her. "What makes now any different? They could have left you when you brought them back, but they are all here. You have to have a little faith in them."

"We'll see," Eirene said. It clearly signaled the end of their conversation. Eris nodded and took a step backwards. Eirene closed her eyes and sighed. "Find Burza and make sure she is okay. I have a job that requires three people, and that is her way to get back in my good graces."

"Of course," Eris said. She turned and hurried out of the room. It wasn't hard for her to hear the sounds of coughing coming from all the way down the hall. Eris walked towards the sounds and found Burza sitting against the wall. It looked like she had just managed to get over her coughing fit.

Before Eris could open her mouth, Annabeth and Percy turned the corner. Burza glanced up at the demigods, and the only movement she made was to adjust her helmet. Eris quickly hurried towards the two demigods. Hopefully, they hadn't found any earth shattering secrets.

"We can't just keep sitting around on this Sixth Legion thing," Percy said. He looked at Annabeth and lowered his voice. "I can't stand the thought of the people that tried to kill our friends are just able to plan another attack. We have to do something."

"I know," Annabeth said. Eris stopped in front of them. The two demigods were clearly restless, and unless they had something to do, they would keep exploring and find something that would unravel all of Eris' plans. She had to keep them occupied, and she knew exactly how to.

"I need to show you two something," Eris said. She gently grabbed Annabeth's arm and started to lead her away. The daughter of Athena didn't try to fight her, and Percy was forced to follow. "We intercepted an Iris message, and I fear that the Sixth Legion was not alone in their attempts to take out your friends."

Eris glanced at the two demigods and could just feel their curiosity. She would show them the Iris message, and they would want to investigate it. It would backfire in their face, and hopefully, the two demigods would get killed.


	15. The Devil You Know

Annabeth slowly looked around the waiting room and let out a nervous breath. It had been really easy to get a meeting with Seva, and it was almost like Seva was expecting her. It all felt like some kind of trap, but Annabeth didn't really know how. She leaned back and glanced at Percy.

Percy's knee was bouncing up and down, and his hand gripped his pen. Annabeth gave him a gentle look. He finally nodded slightly. Annabeth looked down at the ground and closed her eyes. The past few weeks had gone by so fast.

It all started with Eirene asking her for help. She needed a child of Athena to prepare a vial of antidote. For some reason, it needed a child of Athena's blood, and it had to be administered by a child of Athena. Annabeth had asked plenty of questions, and Eirene had answered all of them.

The twelve demigods that she gave the antidote to had been investigating the assassinations, and they had been poisoned. Annabeth had done the same ritual for each of the twelve demigods. She would place a hand to their neck, repeat something in very Ancient Greek, and pour the vial of liquid into their mouths. It had all happened so fast that it was really just a blur. Annabeth was just happy that she was able to save some lives, for once. Percy nudged her, and that snapped Annabeth out of her thoughts.

A glance up showed that the door across the room was opened. Seva stepped out and seemed to be in an intense conversation with someone. After a moment, Reyna stepped into the room as well. Annabeth's eyes widened, and she glanced at Percy.

Percy stood and grabbed her arm. They ducked behind a corner that led to the restrooms. Annabeth leaned out from the wall and watched Reyna cross her arms and nod. Seva started walking Reyna towards the exit of the building.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, imperator. I will speak with the Calibilars about the escape of your exile, but it does seem to scream of outside interference. The full might of the Council will be brought down upon these attackers, but we cannot act rashly. How is your sister doing?"

Annabeth glanced at Percy. He was just staring at the conversation. Annabeth frowned. She knew that Hylla was going to disappear soon, and Reyna would snap. Between the Iris message and what she was seeing, it was starting to look like Seva was going to have something to do with Hylla's disappearance.

"She's fine," Reyna answered. She glanced around the room and sighed. "Thank you for your time. I will keep you updated, if we learn anything else."

"Of course, imperator," Seva said. She smiled, and Reyna stepped out of the office. It took Annabeth a moment to step away from the wall and walk back into the waiting room. She wiped her hands off, to make it look like she had just come from the restroom.

Seva turned towards her and spoke, "You must be Annabeth Chase. I've heard many things about you, and I heard that you wanted a meeting with me."

"We do," Percy confirmed. He walked up to Annabeth's side and gently grabbed her hand. Seva studied both of them and smiled slightly. She motioned for them to follow, and they slowly did. Seva lead them across the room and through a door. She led them down a long hallway that was bustling with people.

As they walked, Annabeth paid attention to her surroundings. The hallway was wide enough for three people to walk side by side, which was a good thing since there was at least two people talking every five feet. Half of the groups seemed to be arguing about something. Other people were running through the hallways holding either binders or pieces of papers.

"It's chaos," Percy whispered. Annabeth nodded her agreement. Her eyes focused on the loudest argument in the hallway. One very large man was shouting down at a man that could have only been half of his size. The smaller man was taking all of it in stride.

"One moment," Seva said. Annabeth stopped walking, and she watched Seva walk towards the two men. The large man turned on her and began his screaming rant at her. After a few moments, Seva held up her hand. "What are you doing here?"

"I saw that Sixth Legion bitch," the man hissed. He took a deep breath. "She ordered the death of my brother! How are you going to allow them to have a severion and not have an official investigation?"

"Why do you think the imperator was here?" Seva questioned. The large man opened his mouth again, and Seva held up a hand. "The matter of a severion in the Sixth Legion and your brother's death are two separate issues. Your brother broke Council laws; therefore, he had to pay the price. We will handle the Sixth Legion and the claims of a severion in due time."

"You need to go back to the remainder of your clan and take control," the smaller man added. He nodded to Seva, who stepped away. "The Council will handle business, as it always does. You should leave and calm down. If you want to speak of this further, you can schedule an appointment and have all of our attention."

The man finally closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He stalked away. Annabeth saw Seva's hand motion for them to follow again, and she slowly did. Percy quickly stayed by Annabeth's side and seemed to be looking around for all kinds of threats. Seva led them into an office.

Annabeth's eyes slowly moved around the office. The desk in the middle had papers and files scattered all around it. There was a few filing cabinets that had papers strewing out of it. A map of Europe was hanging on the wall and had all kinds of pins on it. Seva sat on the desk, and Annabeth sat in the chair across from her. Percy slowly followed her example.

"I did not expect Camp Half-Blood to send an emissary," Seva said. She had clearly done her homework on them, and Annabeth was wondering just how much Reyna had told Seva. Annabeth carefully thought of her next words. Something told her a misstep would end in disaster.

"We've heard a lot about the Council, and we thought it would be best to meet face to face," Annabeth said. Seva nodded slightly. She couldn't know that Annabeth's real reason was that she needed to feel Seva out.

What was the connection that Seva had with Aquitaine? It seemed like the two were doing something behind Reyna's back, and according to Eirene, that thing was the attempted assassinations of the demigod leaders. Annabeth could see it all a little too clearly. The demigod leaders would be taken out, and the Council would pick up the remains. No one would be opposed to stop them.

"I've heard many things about the two of you, especially you," Seva said. Her gaze focused on Annabeth. It took a moment for Annabeth to nod. "You two have saved the world many times over. You also went to war with the Sixth Legion, who is under Council protection. Why?"

"We didn't know there was a Council," Percy said. He glanced at Annabeth. "And, we aren't the ones who started the war. Reyna, the so called imperator, did. We came here to warn you about her. Reyna's a monster. She's sees things that aren't real, and I know she's been hearing voices. She's a ticking time bomb."

"Truthfully, Camp Half-Blood has no business with the Council, nor should they be making claims about a leader of a group under the Council's protection," Seva said. She sat forward and looked at the two of them. "The Sixth Legion has brought your token of peace: the book that belonged to my father. We should not be meeting here today, unless you have something else to offer the Council."

"We've had enough of wars," Percy began. He glanced at Annabeth, and she nodded. Seva was unreadable, and they would just have to keep an eye on the Council. What could they do against the Council though? From Annabeth understood, they had almost all of Europe under their control. "We just want to assure there is peace."

Seva smiled and didn't say a word. They all heard a sudden knock on the door, and it opened. Two men walked in. Seva lost her smile and stood. She spoke, "We can continue this conversation later, Greeks. You know where to find me."

Annabeth nodded and stood. She grabbed Percy's arm and gently lead him out of the room. The two men watched them leave. One of the men was the shorter one who had been getting yelled at earlier. The other was covered in tattoos and wore a mask that covered his face.

"I don't like this," Percy whispered. He led Annabeth back down the hallway. Annabeth glanced around, but the only thing she could see was all of the people running around. It was chaos, and Annabeth didn't know how five people managed to control it. "The Council is powerful, and Seva knows that. She was just sizing us up."

"I know," Annabeth said. They made it back in the waiting room, and Annabeth felt someone watching her. She turned her head and felt her heart stop. Her eyes met black ones. Reyna was leaning on the wall by the exit door.

Annabeth glanced back at Percy and then slowly walked towards Reyna. The daughter of Bellona watched her with cold eyes. Annabeth stopped in front of her and stared Reyna down. Had Reyna seen them and been waiting for them?

"We need to talk about the attempted assassinations and who may have attempted them," Reyna said. Her voice was neutral, but there was no hiding the hate in her eyes. Annabeth frowned. She believed Eirene and Eris, when they told her that the Sixth Legion and Arcadia were responsible for the assassinations. Did Reyna really not know, or was she just pretending? Was it a trap?

"When and where?" Annabeth finally asked. Reyna glanced down at her watch. When Annabeth didn't receive an immediate response, she made her own. "Tomorrow at five. We will meet at the same building we were at a few days ago."

Reyna nodded slightly. She pushed herself off of the wall and studied them. Then, Reyna turned and walked out of the room. Annabeth took a shaky breath and looked at Percy. He was shaking his head.

"We can't trust her," Percy muttered. He stepped out of the hallway, and Annabeth followed behind her. A look around the hallway showed that Reyna was already gone. "You know that we can't, Annabeth. Not after everything she has done."

"I know," Annabeth said. She walked down the hallway and onto the quiet street. Annabeth walked towards the car that they had driven there with. They borrowed it, with a little help from the Mist. Percy followed behind her and was talking under his breath.

As Annabeth grabbed onto the car door, she felt the hair on the back of her neck raise. Something slammed into her back, and she was thrown into the car. Annabeth fell on her back and blinked a few times. It felt like her limbs had locked up, and pain was spreading through her lower back.

Percy called out her name and jumped over the hood of the car. He took off the cap of his pen and attacked someone. Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw someone appear out of the shadows and kick Percy forward. He was thrown into the car a moment later.

Percy fell by Annabeth's side, and a trident was placed against his throat. Annabeth desperately tried to move her fingers, but all she could do was stare at sky. A sword entered her vision, and someone placed a knee to her chest.

"Daughter of Minerva," a voice hissed. It almost sounded familiar. Annabeth tried to look up, but the person slammed her head back into the ground. Electric blue eyes met Annabeth's gray ones. There was a power hungry look in their eyes. "Your usefulness has run out."

Annabeth blinked a few times and looked up at the woman that was pinning her. The woman smiled down at her and grabbed Annabeth's jaw. She leaned in close and spoke, "Thank you."

Annabeth wanted to ask what the woman meant. She wanted to know why the woman was thanking her, right after attacking her. Instead, the woman forced her forearm against Annabeth's throat, which made it impossible to breath. Annabeth tried to fight out of her predicament, but the world around her slowly faded away.


	16. What Goes Around

"Clovis, I know that I give you a lot of crap, since you can't keep your head off of a pillow, but this is really cool," Clarisse said. She looked around and started to feel dizzy. It was impossible to make out any of her surroundings. The walls around her changed every second. It would be concrete the moment and rainbow wallpaper the next.

Clovis looked at her and gave her a small grin. He was holding a small dagger in his hands. According to some stuffy Roman, it was a dagger that had belonged to Burza, and if Clarisse had her way, it was the dagger that was going to bring Burza down. Clovis suddenly stiffened, and Clarisse felt herself spinning.

After closing her eyes for a few moment, Clarisse was able to ignore the feeling of needing to vomit. She forced her eyes and slowly looked around. Clovis and her were standing in a dark room. The only thing that gave off any light was a candle on a table that was burning lowly.

A figure was sitting at the table, and they seemed to asleep. Their head was resting in their hand, and they were staring down at a book. Clarisse walked towards the figure and looked down at the book. It was written in Latin, but Clarisse felt like she had seen the book before.

"So, this is the Burza you were telling me about?" Clovis asked. Clarisse nodded and looked at Clovis. If he had told her that he could grab onto something that a person once owned and have the ability to see their past dreams, she wouldn't have shoved his head into a toilet on his first day. Clarisse looked around the room, and Burza suddenly sat up.

Burza looked down at her hands and arms. Her hand slowly moved to her chest, and she sat back against the chair. Burza looked to be a few years younger than at the temple of Zeus, and there was an uncertain look in her eyes.

"Where am I?" Burza demanded. Clarisse turned her head, and she saw a woman step out of the shadows. The woman wore a shawl that covered her face, and there was an aura that she gave off that Clarisse really didn't like. She just couldn't place it. "Who are you?"

"Your father gave it to you, did he not?" the woman whispered. Burza studied her for a moment, and she finally leaned back in her seat. "I know he gave you your string, but you will squander it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Burza began. She tried to the stand, but the woman grabbed her face. She pressed her fingers against Burza's temples and squeezed tightly. Burza took a few deep breaths and tried to pull the hand away from her forehead. After a moment, she stopped fighting and closed her eyes.

"You can be great, daughter of Jupiter. You can be the hero that this world needs," the woman whispered. She lowered her hand, and Burza slowly opened her eyes. Her pupils were glowing a bright blue. "Many before you have continued the progress of peace, but now, only you can continue it, daughter of Jupiter. What do you say?"

"Camp Half-Blood will attack us," Burza whispered. She laid her head back and shook her head. "They have a warship? How? Why would we just let them bring their ship here? Who was that praetor? I don't recognize her."

Clarisse quickly looked at Clovis and stared at him. Clovis returned with a blank stare. Of course, he didn't know what Clarisse did. He hadn't been there for her dream, and she had only told him a little bit of it. Was the whole reason for Burza's preparations to attack Camp Half-Blood due to the Camp Half-Blood striking first? Why would they strike first? How did they get a warship that no one told her about?

"Calm," the woman said. She gently grabbed Burza's shoulder. "You can prevent this attack on Camp Jupiter. All you have to do is listen to me and follow my lead. That praetor will not take power, if you grab your destiny. Burza, I can help you be a great praetor. I can help you make your father proud. The Argo II will not attack Camp Jupiter, if you listen to me."

Clarisse stared at the woman and Burza. She understood that Burza had been alive over a hundred years ago, and since everyone who knew about her claimed she had disappeared during that time, there was no way she was there for the incident with the Argo II and Camp Jupiter. How did this woman know about something that was going to happen in the future, and why was she lying to Burza about it?

"I will do what I must," Burza said. She looked down at the book and closed it. "I will not disappoint my father anymore, and I will not let the Greeks destroy my home. What must I do?"

"Let go," the woman answered. She placed a hand to Burza's forehead, and Burza collapsed. The woman caught her and laid her down. "You will wake and begin the next phase. I do hope you are the monster that she foresaw, especially after you killed that professor."

A loud banging woke Clarisse from her dream. She quickly sat up and looked around the room that her and Clovis were sitting in. Clovis was half awake and cradling the dagger in his hand. After a moment, Clarisse removed the dagger from his hand and placed it on the table. He deserved a nice bit of rest.

Clarisse stood and walked towards the door. She grabbed the handle, but it was torn from her grasp. Piper was standing at the door, and she seemed to be shaking. Piper slowly looked down at the blood on her hands. Clarisse stared at it.

"What did you do?" Clarisse asked. Piper shook her head and motioned for Clarisse to follow. After a moment, the daughter of Ares did. They walked straight towards the Big House, where a crowd was gathered outside. Everyone was asking questions, and Clarisse had no clue what they were trying to say.

Piper pushed her way to the front door and stepped inside. Jason was guarding the door and looked pale. He motioned for Clarisse to walk inside. After a moment, Clarisse stepped into the Big House, and she instantly recognized the smell of blood.

"What happened?" Clarisse whispered. She walked towards the blanket that someone was laying on. It took her a moment to recognize Percy's face, and as she looked at him, a sick feeling crept inside her. Clarisse. Percy's back was a bloody and destroyed mess. It looked like he had been flogged, and while Clarisse didn't particularly like Percy, she would never wish this upon him.

"He just appeared at the hill," Piper answered. She took a shaky breath. "I didn't see who dropped him off. There was just a bright light, and he was here. We haven't heard from Annabeth, and I'm scared about what happened."

"Bright light?" Clarisse questioned. She heard the door behind her open, and Will pushed past her. A few of his siblings followed. They knelt by Percy and quickly started to assess the damage. Clarisse took a deep breath and looked at Piper. "Like a goddess?"

"Yeah," Piper whispered. Clarisse slowly looked back at Percy, and she noticed there was blood pooling underneath one of his arms. Clarisse knelt by him and gently lifted his arm. Blood was pouring from a symbol that was carved into his arm, and she instantly recognized it as the symbol of the Sixth Legion.

Piper knelt by Clarisse and seemed to notice it too. She closed her eyes and rested her head in her hands. Clarisse slowly stood and stared down at Percy. They weren't friends. They were maybe acquaintances, but Percy was a member of Camp Half-Blood. That meant Clarisse would defend him.

"Reyna wouldn't," Piper began. She shook her head and looked down. Clarisse forced herself to look up at the wall. She began counting backwards from one hundred. The Sixth Legion could be being framed, but who would do that? They had their enemies, but Piper said she had seen a bright flash. That bright flash had to belong to a goddess and only the Sixth Legion had one handy.

But, Clarisse knew she couldn't let her anger control her. She took another deep breath. Arcadia had warned her about the assassinations. She had warned Clarisse that Eris was working with someone to try and destroy the demigods. Eris was a goddess, so she could have been the bright flash. She could have done this to Percy. Clarisse just didn't know how to prove it.

Camp Half-Blood didn't like Reyna already. This was going to destroy any chance of a relationship between the two of them. Someone had to be framing Reyna, and it had to go all the way back to the conspirators behind the assassinations. Clarisse didn't know who it was, but she knew who did: Burza

"What are we going to do?" Piper asked. Clarisse didn't answer, and she couldn't. She had only told Chiron a little of what she knew about the assassins, but she hadn't really warned anyone. If Camp Half-Blood found out that Clarisse knew more than she was telling, they would turn on her in an instant.

Clarisse was walking a very thin line. She would have to work with the Sixth Legion to find out who was framing them. Maybe, the demititans would be able to help her, if she could get in contact with them. The Iris messages had been spotty as of late. Camp Half-Blood could not find out though, which meant she was alone.

"Hey," Piper whispered. She motioned to what looked like a piece of paper that was sticking out of Percy's pocket. After a moment, Clarisse grabbed it. Half of the paper was soaked in blood, but the other half held an address and time. "That's the place that we held the meeting at."

"It's for tomorrow at five," Clarisse commented. She slowly stood and slipped the paper into her pocket. The door behind them opened, and when Clarisse turned, she saw Sally staring down at her son.

Sally ran to Percy's side and knelt by him. She seemed to be in a state of shock, but there was tears welling in her eyes. Clarisse forced herself to look away. She didn't like emotional scenes like this, nor did she like to see someone that she kind of liked hurt in such a way.

"We should pull her away," Piper began. Clarisse shook her head. Sally had been a mortal, but ever since she became a champion of fate, she seemed to be stronger and faster. The others didn't see it as much as Clarisse did. If they tried to pull Sally away, there would be plenty of bloody noses and busted lips.

"No, she needs this," Clarisse muttered. She turned around walked out of the Big House. Clarisse walked straight to her cabin. She had been given a dagger by Arcadia that would allow her to contact the goddess, and she had quite a few questions that needed to be answered. Her other concern was Annabeth. If someone had done this to Percy just to frame the Sixth Legion, what were they going to do to Annabeth?


	17. Witch Hunt

All children of Ares learned three very important lessons before they learned to pick up their sword. One, never point your sword towards something you weren't willing to destroy. Two, never trust someone who hid behind their soldiers. Three, never allow your weapon to be taken willingly. Currently, Clarisse had broken the third and most important rule.

Clarisse needed to do some investigating, and to do that, she needed to speak to the Sixth Legion. It had been easy enough to summon Arcadia, and the goddess seemed to understand that Clarisse was cagey. She didn't fight Clarisse on it. All she did was take the daughter of Ares to the Sixth Legion camp.

Unfortunately, Clarisse had to give up her weapons and wear a bag over her head. It was all barbaric and just plain annoying. Now, she was standing in a dead quiet room. Arcadia had told her to stay there and promised that she would be back. It felt like it had been two hours ago, even though it was probably only thirty seconds.

Clarisse sighed and finally pulled the bag off of her head. She looked around the room, and her attention turned towards the table in the middle of the room. One chair was laying on its side, and there was dried blood on the chair. That didn't seem to be a good sign.

"Took you long enough," a voice commented. Clarisse turned around and stared at the woman sitting on a table at the far end of the room. It took Clarisse a moment to recognize Sparta. "I was expecting you to tear the bag off as soon as Arcadia left."

"What are you doing here?" Clarisse asked. Sparta was leaning against the wall. She looked like she was in pain, but there was a small smile on her face. "Are you making sure I that I don't go off wandering somewhere?"

"I just wanted to meet my Greek siblings," Sparta answered. She shifted slightly and winced. Clarisse studied the smaller Sparta for a moment. Sparta didn't look anywhere near as strong or tall as Clarisse. "I've heard a lot of stories about you. Didn't you destroy a drakon by yourself?"

Memories and grief flashed through Clarisse's head and chest. She finally nodded. Sparta looked impressed and nodded a few times. Her eyes studied Clarisse, and Clarisse spoke, "What about you, Roman? What have you done?"

"I'm sure you read the bounty," Sparta commented. Clarisse glared but had to stop from smiling. That was the exact answer she would have given. "Honestly, my bounty should have been higher, but it's whatever."

The door behind them opened, and Clarisse quickly turned around. Aquitaine stepped into the room and offered her a small smile. Clarisse tried not to glare at the Roman in front of her. There was a few things that she really hated, and children of love were at the top of the list, right next to cowards. Aquitaine simply kept her arms behind her back and remained silent.

"Where's Reyna?" Clarisse finally asked. She glared at the Roman in front of her. Like most members of the Sixth Legion, Aquitaine wore a set of armor like it was a second skin. Unlike the other members of the Sixth Legion, Aquitaine was hiding a lot of things. Clarisse could see that in her eyes.

"The imperator had an urgent meeting," Aquitaine answered. Clarisse narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure any questions that you have can be answered by me or one of the other centurions. Unfortunately, I do not know when the imperator will return, but I imagine you do not want to stay here that long."

"What I have to say is more urgent than any meeting that Reyna has," Clarisse argued. Aquitaine remained silent. She just gave off an aura of smugness. Clarisse shoved past the Roman, and a hand grabbed her shoulder. The grip was a lot stronger than Clarisse was expecting.

"I'm sorry, but the imperator has not given you permission to have free reign of our base," Aquitaine said. She stepped in front of Clarisse. "There is obviously a very important reason that you came here, and I can help you."

Clarisse stepped back and crossed her arms. She wasn't going to learn anything from Aquitaine, but she also couldn't get around her. What was she suppose to do then? A glance back showed that Sparta was watching the whole thing and just leaning against the wall. Was she even able to stand properly?

"Archangel," a man greeted. Clarisse turned back around and stared at the man that stepped into the room. From his graying hair, he had to be Bristol. "Your presence here is unexpected, but it is a honor nonetheless. How can we help you?"

"I want to talk about the assassins," Clarisse finally said. Her eyes shot back and forth between the three Romans surrounding her. "I've already talked to Reyna about it, but something tells me that the three of you are a lot less innocent that her. Who do you think these assassins are? Who sent them?"

Clarisse didn't actually care about what their response was. Their body language would give away the whole story. Bristol didn't move an inch, and he was studying Clarisse with kind eyes. Aquitaine didn't move an inch either, but her eyes did flicker up. According to the bounties, Aquitaine would know a thing or two about assassins. Sparta let out a small laugh and watched them.

"It's impossible to answer," Bristol replied. "This was very well planned out, and we were very fortunate to stop it with minimum casualties. Do you have a new theory on this? We've been stuck at a dead end and unable to find anything else out."

"I'm just curious about how all of these assassins just magically disappeared. It's almost like they had help, or they knew more than they should," Clarisse said. Her eyes focused on Aquitaine for a moment. Aquitaine returned the gaze, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Clarisse knew children of Aphrodite were more perceptive to emotions and were able to read body language better than most, but it almost felt like Aquitaine was able to read Clarisse's thoughts.

"There has to be some kind of help that they received," Bristol agreed. He crossed his arms and sighed. "Everywhere that we have turned has been a dead end. Someone has gone through great lengths to keep this quiet and has kept a lot of things close to their chest."

Clarisse nodded slightly. Aquitaine turned her head and looked at Bristol. She spoke in Latin, and all Clarisse could do was glare even more. They would be that petty to switch to a language that Clarisse didn't know. Bristol shook his head and responded in Latin.

"I'll check with her," Aquitaine finally said in English. She glanced at Clarisse and then stepped out of the room. Bristol sighed and then leaned on the table. His eyes moved towards Clarisse.

"What did you come here for?" Bristol questioned. He seemed relaxed, but Clarisse knew that look. Bristol would be ready to pounce at any moment. "I can't imagine that you would take a casual stroll out to Rome just to say hi."

"I'm tired of sitting around and waiting for these assassins to make another move," Clarisse said. She studied the man in front of her. He actually looked like he cared, or was it all just a show? Clarisse glanced back at Sparta. "I also know that the Sixth Legion doesn't like Camp Half-Blood. If you do anything to hurt my friends, I will snap all of your necks."

"I'd like to see you try, Archangel," Sparta said. Clarisse turned and glared at her Roman counterpart. "Oh come on. You don't really think you can just walk into our base and threaten us. If it came down to it, your camp would be destroyed by us."

"Sparta, that is enough," Bristol interrupted. Sparta sneered and leaned back against the wall. "Archangel, we've shared all of our information with you. If we learn something else, we will tell you. Did you need anything else?"

"I got all I need," Clarisse said. Bristol nodded and glanced at Sparta. She rolled her eyes and spoke in Latin. Bristol nodded and walked towards the door. "I need to talk to Reyna though. Tell her to message me when she has time."

"Of course. I will get Arcadia to escort you back to your camp," Bristol said. He bowed his head and walked out. Clarisse crossed her arms and paced back and forth across the room. After counting to ten seconds, Clarisse stopped by Sparta. She turned and punched the Roman in the face. The force of the punch knocked Sparta off of the table, and if the crunching noise was any indication, it also broke her nose.

"Sorry," Clarisse said. She really wasn't, but it would be best to look like she was sorry. Clarisse stepped out of the room and glanced around the hallway. There was no around the long hallway. Clarisse followed her gut and took off down the hallway. She constantly looked over her shoulder, waiting for a member of the Sixth Legion to step out and see her.

Clarisse didn't really know what her plan was. She just needed to find solid proof of anything, and Sparta had been pretty annoying too. It felt nice to punch out her anger. Clarisse made it towards the end of the hall but heard a door behind her opening. She cursed and stepped into the nearest room.

Clarisse closed the door behind her and looked around the room. She found herself in what looked to be a bedroom. There was three beds inside. Two of the bed were an absolute mess, but the third one was perfect, other than a pillow that was uneven.

A glance at the bed showed a set of armor and a face plate on the bed. Clarisse glared at the face plate and realized that it belonged to Aquitaine. That had to be her bed then. Clarisse walked towards the bed and lifted the pillow. There was nothing underneath, and she dropped the pillow back onto the bed.

Clarisse turned away and then stopped. She turned back around and laid down on the ground. A glance under the bed showed nothing. Clarisse reached her hand under the bed to try and find anything. Then, she reached up, expecting to hit something solid. Instead, her hand hit something that made a clinking noise.

It took a few moments of reaching for Clarisse to grab onto a small bag. She pulled it out and reached back under the bed. Her hand hit wood and then something with plastic on it. She grabbed onto it and pulled it out. Clarisse opened the binder and stared at the map of Camp Half-Blood that she found. A quick glance through showed maps of Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter, and even something that looked like an Amazon base. There was also profiles and pictures of all of the demigods leaders.

Without looking in the bag, Clarisse knew what it was. She opened it to be sure and stared at the Roman coins that were inside. There was also what looked to be a large sum of Euro. Clarisse grabbed the small note tucked inside and read it, "Your imperator hindered us, but there is a bag of these for each head."

Clarisse lowered the note and tucked it back inside the bag. She placed it and the file back under the bed. Clarisse rolled onto her back and heard the door open. She barely made it to her feet as Aquitaine stepped into the room.

Aquitaine stared at her for a moment and then glanced behind her. Clarisse glared at the Roman in front of her and reached a hand for the weapon that wasn't there. Aquitaine looked at her and spoke, "What exactly are you doing?"

"Exploring," Clarisse answered. She wanted nothing more than to take the smug little Roman out, but she had to keep her temper. Clarisse would take the information to Arcadia and Reyna though. "I'll be heading back to my camp."

Clarisse shoved past the Roman and saw Arcadia at the far end of the hall. The goddess had an annoyed look on her face. A glance back showed that Aquitaine was looking in between her bed and Clarisse. It took her a moment to close the door, while staring into Clarisse's eyes.

Clarisse walked towards Arcadia. The goddess didn't seem too upset, until Sparta stepped out of the room with two hands to her bloody nose. Arcadia glared at Clarisse and crossed her arms. The goddess spoke, "What did you do?"

"I was exploring," Clarisse answered honestly. She glanced at Sparta, who glared at her. "Look, Percy appeared at Camp Half-Blood with your symbol carved into his arm. He had been terribly flogged, and I needed answers. I found plenty under Aquitaine's bed."

"What are you talking about?" Sparta demanded. She lowered her hands and looked at Arcadia. The goddess seemed to be in a state of shock. "Aquitaine's been working her ass off to save you Greeks. We all have. This is how you repay us?"

"Look under her bed and you'll see," Clarisse snapped. She looked at Arcadia. "As soon as Reyna gets back, we are taking this to her. If you two don't punish Aquitaine, I will handle her myself and do a lot worse than what happened to Percy. That I swear upon my father."

"Let's get you back your camp," Arcadia said tensely. She grabbed Clarisse's arm, but it looked like she wanted to wrap both her hands around Clarisse's throat. "I will talk to the imperator about this. Do not break our trust again."

"I'll do what I want," Clarisse said. The world around her spun, and when her feet hit solid ground, her weapons were shoved into her hands. The force of the shove caused her to stumble backwards. Arcadia watched her for a moment and started to glow brightly. Clarisse looked away and focused on the ground. When the bright light disappeared, she looked back up.

The visit to the Sixth Legion had left Clarisse with more questions than answers, but it also gave her another person to focus her attention on. Aquitaine was definitely bad news, and hopefully, Reyna would see that. Clarisse glanced at the bloody paper she was keeping in her pocket. In a few hours, she would go to the meeting place, and if Reyna was there, Clarisse guaranteed she was going to get a lot of answers.


	18. Empire of Dirt

Scaling a small mountain wasn't exactly how Reyna planned on starting her day, but when she had received a message from the demititans requesting that they meet, she couldn't just ignore it. With a little help from Arcadia, she was able to find the meeting site. It was a small hillside that had been carved by nature into the Alp mountains.

Reyna had been dropped off close to the area, as Arcadia said there was something blocking her from just appearing right at the meeting site. She said it was some kind of old magic, and Reyna wasn't about to doubt the goddess. She had decided to go to the meeting alone, so they wouldn't upset the demititans more than they already were. Arcadia also mentioned having to take care of some business.

As Reyna reached up and grabbed onto what felt like flat land, someone grabbed her arm. She glanced up and saw Sarah. The demititan nodded to her and helped her climb up the rest of the cliff. Reyna gave her a nod of thanks and took a second to catch her breath. A glance around the clearing showed that they were alone.

"Those notes that we burned talked about a former praetor of Camp Jupiter," Sarah began. She walked into the middle of the clearing and sat down. After a moment, Reyna followed after her and sat across from her. A dagger appeared in Sarah's hand, but she only used it to play with the dirt. "Does the name Burza sound familiar to you?"

Reyna frowned and tried to think of the name. It took her a few moments, but she did remember the former praetor. Burza had disappeared suddenly, along with almost two cohorts. Those two cohorts were found slaughtered in a village, but Burza's body was never found. If the demititans had notes on Burza, she had to be connected to the assassins.

The stories all said that Burza was a dedicated Roman and a great praetor. Why was she being lumped with the assassins? Had they managed to break her, or were all of the stories false? What would Camp Jupiter say about Reyna after a century had passed?

"Yeah," Reyna finally answered. She looked up. "Daughter of Jupiter, right? If so, she was a praetor that mysteriously disappeared. Do you think she's connected to the assassins?"

"I don't know," Sarah admitted. She stabbed her dagger into the ground. Her hood cast a shadow over her face. "But, the file did have a letter that was sent from her to someone in Greece. Our translator seems to think that it was the queen of the Greek Amazons. Why would a Roman be contacting someone in Greece?"

"She might not have known they weren't Roman," Reyna began. She glanced up at Sarah. Despite being unable to see the demititan's eyes, she could feel the hate and anger in them. "I'm guessing there is not a backup or copy of those files. There's only the stuff that you remember?"

Sarah nodded. She looked down and spoke, "I don't regret it. I just wish I could go back in time and never interfere with the drakon and you guys. I wish we would have never met. Alex would still be alive. My friends would still be alive. We wouldn't constantly be at war. We only worked together because of some prophecy that seemed like it worked for every problem. It's like the Fates just wanted us to work with the people that would stab us in the back."

Reyna frowned, and pain flashed in the back of her head. She slowly placed a hand to the back of her head and looked around the ground. Reyna blinked and tried to focus. She had heard those words before, or at least, something very close to them. Reyna couldn't remember who said them though.

"I didn't mean it like that," Sarah began. Reyna blinked out of her thoughts and slowly nodded. Her gaze slowly moved upwards, but it didn't take long for her to get distracted again. Where had she heard those words? Between the head injuries and seeing things that weren't real, her memory was untrustworthy and full of gaps. "I am sorry, Reyna."

"It's not that," Reyna said. She frowned and closed her eyes. "I heard those words before. Someone said that to me, but all I remember is pain in the back of my head."

After a few moments of silence passed, Reyna opened her eyes and looked up. Sarah was watching her concerned. Reyna glanced up at the sky. She still had to meet with Percy and Annabeth in only a few hours. What was she going to do about them? Maybe, she could offer up the information that Sarah told her.

"There was three other files. One of them was about this demigod that could manipulate Iris messages. Like, he could pull up ones that had already been sent and watch them. It's rumored he actually managed to record these Iris messages, and we narrowed it down to somewhere in a town not far from our old base, but we weren't able to actually find them," Sarah said.

"The place was a park that had been a house. We found where the basement used to be, and after a little digging, we found where a demigod safe use to be. After a little magic, we were able to open it only to find that everything was inside, but part of the inside of the safe was missing. I bet it's a box that matched the safe, so no one would realize what it was," Sarah continued.

"It's always something, isn't it?" Reyna asked. Sarah nodded her agreement and laid back on the ground. Reyna watched her for a few moments. "Why are we out here? Arcadia said this place was blocked off from her."

"I had to climb as well. The third file mentioned this place. All the file had was a single letter with directions to this area, and it was signed with a cornucopia on the bottom. This is where the directions lead, but all I see is dirt and trees," Sarah muttered. She stabbed her dagger into the ground, and they both heard the sound of something hitting the dagger.

Sarah frowned and slowly threw some of the grass away. Reyna moved over to her side and saw a small piece of marble. After removing more dirt and grass, they saw more marble. Reyna spoke, "I guess it's a little more than dirt and trees. Do you think nature is hiding something?"

"Yeah," Sarah said. She stood and looked at Reyna. "Should we split up and see if we can find an entrance or weak point on top?"

"I think that will be a good idea," Reyna said. Sarah nodded and moved back towards the edge of the cliff. She grabbed her sword and started to feel around on the ground. After a moment, Reyna turned and walked further into the clearing, until she hit a thicket of trees.

Reyna slipped past the trees and saw a few fallen ones. She heard a branch snap and quickly turned around. No one was around her, and Sarah was too stealthy to snap any branches. Reyna slowly grabbed her faceplate and attached it her helmet. She looked around and tried to find anyone.

Upon not seeing any enemies, Reyna continued her walk, but she kept a hand on her sword. Was she just imagining things again? Reyna heard a noise next to her and saw movement. Without thinking, she slammed her shoulder into the person and slammed them into a tree.

Reyna placed her gauntlet to the person's throat, and a masked figure stared at her. They slowly raised their hands and spoke, "Imperator, I talked to your sister: Queen Hylla. She wouldn't listen to me and suggested that I find you."

Reyna didn't recognize the man's voice, and she couldn't tell if he was telling the truth. She kept her gauntlet to his throat. Reyna spoke, "Why are you trying to find me?"

"I need to get in contact with Olympus. I have tried everything I can imagine, but no one will listen to me. Both camps have ignored my messages, and your sister wouldn't listen to anything a man had to say. I know you have a goddess who can help me," the man explained. "My name is Rollins. I work for Prometheus."

"What do you have to tell the Olympians? Does it have anything to do with the assassins?" Reyna asked. Rollins gave her a confused look. He finally shook his head. "What is it then?"

"I'll tell you the same thing that I told you sister. The minor gods are romanticizing the past. They are visiting places that the Olympians aren't keeping an eye on. I think the minor gods are going to rebel," Rollins said.

"A revolution," Sarah said. She appeared out of the shadows and walked towards them. Reyna finally pulled away from Rollins and looked in between the two. "When Red attacked me, she talked about how there was going to be a revolution. They were looking to correct injustices. If the minor gods rebelled against the Olympians or even just distracted them, the demigods could be wiped out."

"The assassins," Reyna whispered. She slowly looked at Sarah. "Before Metis was destroyed, I was confronted by this creature. It claimed that I would lead them to a half mortal that would unlock these warriors, and these warriors were created to topple leaders. That sounds like a revolution to me."

"Someone has to be organizing these minor god protests, and they have to be connected to the assassins," Rollins said. He shook his head. "I'll talk to Prometheus and try to do some digging. If I find something out, how can I get in contact with one of you?"

"Have Prometheus send me a message," Sarah answered. Rollins nodded and looked at Reyna. He nodded to her and started to walk away. Reyna watched him walk away, and then, she looked back at Sarah. "You didn't tell us about that figure. Who was it?"

"If she didn't leave a mark on my face that Arcadia saw, I would have thought that I was seeing things again, and I feared everyone would think the same way. The figure didn't give a name, but she did say that she saw all these things happening. She claimed to have seen the fall of Rome, the Black Death, the world wars and more," Reyna explained.

"Like a prophecy?" Sarah asked. Reyna frowned. That would explain why the figure claimed the gods were scared of her. "There's just a single connecting piece that we're missing. I hate this not knowing. Does Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter know about any of this?"

"Clarisse is the only one," Reyna answered. Sarah sighed and nodded. The two stood in silence, and Sarah looked back at the ground. "We should keep looking for an entrance. I'm suppose to meet with Annabeth and Percy soon. I'll try to talk to them about this."

Sarah nodded. She disappeared back into the shadows. Reyna slowly looked around. It didn't feel right that Rollins had just magically appeared there, but the only thing that mattered was if they could actually trust him. Reyna sighed and shook her head. All she could do was focus on finding the entrance.

Reyna continued to walk. She wanted to stay focused on looking. Instead, all she could think of was the figure. Who was the half mortal that they were referring to? They said that Reyna had led them to the half mortal? How?

Reyna shook her head. It was too much to think about and a lot more than what she actually understood. Reyna stepped over a tree branch, and looked down at the ground. Her eye stared at the black pit beneath her. It looked like a tree had fallen through, and she could barely see the tree down below.

"Sarah, I found something!" Reyna called. She turned around and stared at the figure in front of her. They were wearing a cloak that covered their face, but Reyna felt like she recognized them. A hand suddenly moved to Reyna's temple.

"I can't have you at your meeting just yet," the cloaked figure whispered. Reyna felt a wave of peace wash over her, and her eyes grew heavy. Her knees felt weak, and she collapsed against the cloaked figure. They grabbed her face and gently lifted her head. "Go in peace, imperator."

Reyna tried to speak but couldn't find her voice. She felt the cloaked figure grab her shoulder and then gently grab her jaw. Everything was fading away for Reyna, and there was nothing she could do as the cloaked figure shoved her into the hole. The last thing Reyna saw before she fell into unconsciousness was the ground rushing to meet her.


	19. The Boy Who Would Be King

Reyna opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She stared down at the rubble that she was laying on. Reyna blinked again and realized there was a throbbing pain in her face. She took a few deep breaths and rolled onto her back. The last thing she remembered was someone grabbing her jaw, telling her to go in peace, and then shoving her into the hole.

She still remembered the wave that passed over her. For a few moments, Reyna had been completely at peace and relaxed. Then, words had dragged her into unconsciousness before she could hit the ground. It sounded like something an immortal could do, but how did they even know about the meeting?

A pulsating pain near her nose and eye caught her attention. Reyna slowly moved her hands to her face. When she moved a hand to her face plate, it felt like part of it had cracked and embedded part of itself into her face. Reyna groaned and closed her eyes.

After a moment of debate, Reyna pulled off her helmet. She carefully removed the bent face plate from her face and instantly felt blood trickling from the wound. The worst of the cut felt like it was right next to her eye, and she knew how lucky she was that the face plate had not bent in further.

Reyna slowly looked around the cavern that she was in. A glance up showed the hole that she had fallen through. Light shone through the hole, so she couldn't have fallen too far. Reyna looked around the area she was in. It seemed like she was in some kind of destroyed building, but it was too dark to make out most of her surroundings.

"Are you finally here?" a voice asked. Reyna quickly turned and slowly stood. The top of her head hit part of the rubble, and she was unable to bite back a curse. A ghostly figure walked through some of the rubble. He was wearing grand, tattered robes and a crown on his head. "I knew you would come. I told them you would."

"Who are you?" Reyna began. The ghostly figure moved closer to her. He tried to grab her arm, but his hand passed through her. The figure seemed shocked and almost looked offended. His hand started shaking, but his eyes moved to her face. One hand touched her blood.

Reyna watched her blood trickled onto the figure's hand. He moved his hand away and stared at the blood. The figure spoke, "You are the creature of vengeance, yes? You were the one I begged for. You were the one I called for. I knew you would come."

"You begged for me?" Reyna asked confused. She slowly put her helmet back on and grabbed her face plate. The ghostly figure looked up at her, and for the first time, she saw nothing where his eyes should have been. He ran some of Reyna's blood across his face. It seemed to meld with him.

"Alastor," the figure whispered. He started to rock back and forth on his heels. "The spirit that would end all blood feuds. You punish the family and the ancestors of those who do wrong. You are the one I have been begging for. I need your vengeance."

Reyna stared at the figure in front of her and felt sadness, along with a small twinge of fear. The ghostly figure was clearly insane, and he was most likely a lingering spirit, unable to leave his final resting place. Her eyes moved back up to the hole that she had fallen through. It wouldn't be too hard to climb back up.

"I can't help you," Reyna began. She tried to walk away, but the ghostly figure hissed in a barbaric language. Reyna tensed and slowly looked at him. The figure started to approach her but quickly turned away. Reyna let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do for you."

"How long has it been?" the figure asked. He sat down and started to rock back and forth. "How long since my clan was destroyed? How long have I been wandering this prison of mine? Why didn't you come? Why did that praetor wipe out my clan?"

"Praetor?" Reyna interrupted. She turned and looked at the figure. It took him a few moments to look up. He slowly smiled and continued to rock back and forth. A small, scared chuckle escaped him.

"You wouldn't care about praetors. You live up so very high. Praetors are down low. They reside in that camp. The camp belongs to Jupiter. This one loved war but decided to hide behind the mark of peace. Why didn't you avenge them?"

"What am I suppose to do?" Reyna suddenly snapped. She tried to grab the figure, but her hand passed through him. "Your family is dead! What could I or anyone have done?"

"Avenge me. Avenge them," the figure snapped. "My family was destroyed and taken from me. My clan was obliterated in the name of peace! I will do anything to avenge them. I will pledge my soul to you."

Reyna stared at the figure and felt sick. She could see herself in this figure. If anything ever happened to Hylla, she would snap. She would do anything to avenge her sister, and nothing would stop her. In fact, she had already been so close to the creature's madness. Reyna swallowed painfully and started to turn away. There was still an unanswered question though, but it wasn't her business.

"If you won't avenge me, you can hear me out," the spirit said. "I understand that I am beneath you, and you refuse to help me. I don't care. Just hear me out. Know my story. Know it. You must know that the camp of Jupiter came to us with an offer of peace and destroyed us. You will know."

The spirit placed a hand right to Reyna's face, where her cut was. He let some of the blood trickle onto his fingers and wiped it across Reyna's eyes. Reyna cursed and backed up. She blinked a few times and tried to wipe the blood out of her eyes.

When Reyna opened her eyes, she found that the place was completely different. It looked to be a grand temple, but there was something familiar about it. Reyna turned around and stared at a mass of people in front of her. All wore some type of leather and steel armor. They held no weapons, and a look to her right showed a large stockpile of weapons at the door.

"We are here for a peaceful meeting," a man said. He seemed to be the size of a small building, and his voice filled the room. Reyna was sure the size of his arms were bigger than a tree. He had to be one of the largest men that she had ever seen. "We have been at war ever since we were united, when my great great grandfather brought the crowns of old to his elders."

"Now, we will finally be at peace. The great goddess even allowed us use of her temple," the man said. He placed a hand to a smaller boy's shoulder. Reyna instantly recognized the smaller boy. It was the figure from the ruins. This must be his clan then.

The man moved his hand towards the door, and three figures piled in. The three figures all wore Roman armor, and the one in the middle wore a face plate. Reyna took a step closer and tried to see if she recognized the other two, but she didn't.

Reyna's eyes moved around the temple, and her eyes focused on the statue of a goddess. The back of her head ached, and she could have sworn that she had been in the temple before. Reyna frowned and shook her head. It took her a moment to look back at the gathering of people.

"Barbarians, today is a very important day!" one of the Romans announced. She looked around and raised her head in what could have been a challenge to the other barbarians. The Roman in the middle took a step forward, and his praetor's cloak flowed around him. "You will finally find the peace that you desire."

"We have prepared you a feast," the third Roman said. His voice sounded much older than most of the campers at Camp Jupiter, and it almost seemed like he had a limp. "Praetor Hiold has worked towards the goal that the rest of your life will be in peace, and we celebrate that."

Reyna slowly looked back at the boy. She blinked, and the scene in front of her changed once again. Now, the group was all sitting at a large table. The praetor was sitting at the head of the table, along with the large man, who seemed to be the leader of the clan.

"All of our lives we have been fighting, praetor. Thank you," the man said. The praetor slowly turned his head and nodded. Unlike his two Roman companions, he was not eating. His eyes slowly moved around the table. "You told me earlier that you wanted to say a few words."

The praetor nodded once again and stood. All of the talking around the table fell silent. Reyna heard a noise behind her and turned. She realized that there was Romans all around the table. They all seemed to be from Camp Jupiter and were acting as guards, but there was something off about them.

"You and your ancestors have been fighting forever," the praetor said. "We have made treaties with all of the clans that you called enemies. The first step to peace has always been to stop fighting. The second step is the hardest but the most important: let go."

Before Reyna could blink, the praetor stabbed the man in the chest. He gasped, and the room exploded into chaos. All of the members of the clan tried to stand, but they ended up falling to the ground, choking and gasping. The two Romans that had been with the praetor also fell, and it looked like they had all been poisoned.

The Romans that had been standing against the wall all moved forward and ended the suffering of the clan. The only one left was the boy, who ran to his father's side. He grabbed his father's hand and was crying. The praetor watched for a few moments.

Two Romans grabbed the boy and forced him to his knees. The praetor knelt by his face and spoke, "You have been fighting for so long. The boy who would be king will know something that many rulers do not: peace."

"This land is under the watch of peace. We have lived through your clan destroying that peace at every turn, but it is okay. Go in peace," the praetor whispered. He grabbed a dagger from his side and suddenly gouged the boys eyes out. Reyna closed her eyes and looked away.

When the screaming finally stopped, Reyna slowly opened her eyes. She was back in the cave, and the boy was nowhere to be found. Reyna took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes again. A praetor at Camp Jupiter had slaughtered a barbarian clan and two of their Romans. He had told the boy to go in peace, so was he connected to the woman who had shoved Reyna into the ruins?

Why did the temple look so familiar? Reyna had seen it before, but she didn't remember it. Why couldn't she remember it? Reyna turned her head and saw the boy was staring at her. Reyna spoke, "I can't help you. I'm sorry."

"You know my story," the boy whispered. He smiled. "You know my story, and you know what they did. You are high up, and you will strike them down. I asked myself why, but they told me. They gave it to me, but they do not know."

The boy slowly started to walk away. When Reyna didn't follow, he turned and motioned for her to come. After a moment, Reyna followed. The boy walked through a rock, and Reyna was forced to duck under it. She stopped and stared at a skeleton. It definitely belonged to the boy.

Reyna saw something in the boy's hand, and it looked like he had held it to his death. Reyna slowly knelt by it and could just feel the power coming from the parchment. It looked to be centuries old, and most of the words on it were faded. If she focused hard enough, she could see one of the lines.

"Wisdom, love, and war will combine," Reyna read. She stared at the page and leaned closer to it. There was a few destroyed lines of text, but she could read another line towards the middle. "The betrayals will be exposed."

A shaky breath left Reyna. That was the same prophecy that Rachel had given them, when they were looking for the shield. It was the same prophecy that looked like it had never been fulfilled, and it was the same one the figure claimed to influence. Didn't someone also claim that it was fake? Reyna let out an angry breath at all of her unanswered questions, and she focused on the very last line. Reyna took a deep breath and read it, "Peace shall fall."

"She offered the books, and then, she burned her offer," the boy whispered. Reyna looked at him and then back at the page. There was no way that she could be looking at an actual page of a Sibylline book. That meant the prophecy they had heard wasn't fake, but it also wasn't complete.

Reyna slowly grabbed the paper. Amazingly, it didn't crumble. Reyna could feel the magic coming for it, and she slowly tucked the page into her armor. It took her a moment to look back at the boy. She spoke, "Thank you. I'm sorry I can't help you."

The boy smiled and slowly sat down. Reyna swallowed painfully and looked up. She would need to get out of the cave. Then, she would go back to the Sixth Legion and tell them what she had found.


	20. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

As Reyna felt blood being wiped away from her wound, she instinctively tried to pull away. Arcadia had a tight grip on her jaw and didn't let her move. Arcadia muttered under her breath and wiped more of the blood from Reyna's face. It was followed be a stern look. Reyna spoke, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

"I'm not concerned about the wound. I'm concerned about what caused it. Are you sure the woman was not Eris? It sounds like something she would do," Arcadia said. She wiped the rest of the blood away and poured something on the wound. Reyna felt a tingling sensation as the wound closed.

"No," Reyna answered. She sighed tiredly and looked around the alley that they were in. The building they were suppose to meet at was only across the street, and Reyna would be early to the meeting, which sounded like the opposite of what the woman who had attacked her wanted. "I've been in Eris' presence before, and I didn't get that feeling from the woman."

"There was an incident back at the base," Arcadia said. Reyna sighed softly. That sounded like the last thing she needed. "Clarisse paid us a visit. She attacked Sparta and explored on her own. She found money and information on the demigod leader under Aquitaine's bed."

Reyna let out a soft curse and rested her head against the alley's wall. She spoke, "Did you look under the bed for yourself?"

"I did," Arcadia replied. She let out an angry breath. "I found the money, the information, and a note. The note promised there was more where that came from. Imperator, I can't believe that Aquitaine would do this; nevertheless, I have Aquitaine being watched over by Sparta and Bristol."

Reyna looked down at the ground and sighed tiredly. She reached into her armor and pulled out the paper that held the prophecy. Reyna handed it over to Arcadia. The goddess read it silently. Reyna spoke, "We received half of that prophecy during the quest that started this whole ordeal."

"So, there's a prophecy," Arcadia said. She shrugged. Reyna sighed and took the paper back. She folded it back up and placed it into her armor. Reyna slowly stood. "What are you thinking?"

"We'll handle the Aquitaine situation when I get back. Is there anything else I should know?" Reyna asked. She wasn't expecting Arcadia to nod. Reyna looked down. "What else?"

"Clarisse did claim that Percy Jackson appeared at Camp Half-Blood looking like he had been flogged, and our symbol was carved into his arm," Arcadia explained. Reyna closed her eyes. Even if the Sixth Legion's symbol hadn't been carved into Percy's arm, she would still be blamed for anything happening to him or Annabeth. "This meeting has to be a trap."

"Annabeth could be in there," Reyna began. She looked at the building. "That may be why the woman didn't want me here yet. I'm going in. Watch my back?"

"Of course," Arcadia answered. Reyna gave her a grateful nod and stepped out of the alley. A look around showed that no one was in sight. She hurried towards the building and stepped inside. The front lobby was completely empty, and all of the lights were turned off.

Reyna looked down and saw a small bit of blood. Her heart dropped to her stomach, and she knelt by it. Reyna unsheathed her sword and slowly stood. She followed the trail of blood through a door and down a hallway. The trail ended at a door at the far end of the hallway. Reyna stopped at it and glanced inside the half open door. She stared at the scene in front of her.

There was one person sitting in a chair. They were tied to the chair and had a black bag over their head. From the blue jeans and jacket they were wearing, it had to be Annabeth. Reyna started to grab onto the door, but she saw someone step in front of Annabeth.

"What is this?" Seva asked. Her eyes moved to the corner of room. Seva took a step backwards and crossed her arms. Reyna frowned. What was a Council member doing at the meeting place? Why was she in the same room as an injured Annabeth?

"It is a chance at salvation, at vengeance, and at a new life," a woman said. She stepped into Reyna's view, but it was hard to make out her features. The shadows seemed to dance around her. "My name is Camila, and I understand what you have gone through."

"That still doesn't explain any of this," Seva said. Camila smiled sadly and stepped back into the shadows.

"Everyone knows the story of the proud and strong wolf clan. They were on top of the world, until they weren't. I understand that feeling. My clan was destroyed too," Camila said. "We were nowhere near as strong as your clan, but like your clan, we were a family."

"My parents and siblings were slaughtered in front of me. Our attackers did unspeakable horrors to anyone who dared fight back. They forced me to watch it all. Then, they left me there. I tried to end my life, but a goddess stopped me. She told me that I can take revenge and do something better with my life. I could be at peace," Camila continued.

"Peace," Reyna whispered softly. She wanted to burst into the room, but she really had no clue what was going on. It looked like Seva didn't know about Annabeth beforehand, or was it all just a show? Could Reyna trust what she was seeing? Then again, could she ever?

"I know you desire revenge on those who destroyed the wolf clan: the Council and the Sixth Legion. You couldn't take them on alone, so you found a severion to do the deed for you," Camila said. Seva slowly looked at her. "You don't have to hide the truth from me. We know. You hired Aquitaine to destroy the Sixth Legion from the inside out."

"You haven't answered my original question. What is this?" Seva repeated. She crossed her arms again and took a few steps towards Camila.

"We can help you. Don't get me wrong though. You have done a tremendous job by yourself already. You remade the Council and got yourself a position on it. We know you've been moving pieces around and waiting for the Sixth Legion to slip up, so you could take them out. We can take the Sixth Legion out for you. All you have to do is kill this daughter of Athena," Camila explained.

Camila appeared behind Seva and held out a dagger. Seva slowly turned around and grabbed onto the dagger. Camila continued, "The Sixth Legion will be brought to justice. I promise you that. All you have to do is work with us."

Reyna slammed the door open and threw her rod at Camila. The demigod disappeared into the shadows, and as the rod transformed into a javelin, it slammed into where Camila had been. Seva slowly looked at Reyna, and the daughter of Bellona spoke, "Drop the dagger and step away from Annabeth. Now."

"Imperator, I have no stake in this. I was sent a message from your negotiator asking that I meet here. She said it was urgent," Seva explained. Reyna kept her sword pointed towards Seva. "You don't believe what she said, do you?"

"I don't know," Reyna admitted. She heard a noise behind her, and pain exploded in her back. Reyna collapsed to the ground and cried out in pain. Blue eyes appeared in her vision, and another woman grabbed her face.

"We are going to have so much fun, imperator," the woman whispered. Reyna hissed in pain. Her back felt completely locked up, and the pain was getting worse by the second. Reyna hissed again as lightning appeared in the woman's hand.

Reyna slowly looked up and saw that Camila was standing behind Seva. Camila spoke, "Keep her sword here. We'll handle it. You do what has to be done, Burza."

"I know what has to be done," Burza snapped. Reyna stared and slowly looked up at the former praetor of Camp Jupiter. She was pulled to her feet, but her knees gave out. Burza smirked and shoved Reyna towards the door. Reyna collapsed and was kicked hard in the ribs.

Reyna hissed in pain and rolled onto her back. She slowly managed to scoot backwards and hit the wall. Burza grabbed her and threw her into another room. Lightning started building in Burza's hands. Reyna tried to stand, but more pain tore through her back.

"How can someone with as high of a title as you be so pathetic?" Burza taunted. She took a step forward, but the door behind her opened. Burza turned and barely dodged underneath a thrown spear. Reyna forced herself to her feet, and she slammed into Burza from behind.

The two tumbled to the ground, and when Burza tried to stand, she was kicked in the face. Clarisse slammed her knee into Burza's chest and punched her hard in the face. The daughter of Ares stood and delivered another kick to Burza's chest. She spoke, "No more games. You and I are going to have a very long talk."

"Clarisse, they have Annabeth," Reyna began. She used the wall to help her stand, but more pain was tearing through her back. Reyna cursed in pain and managed to push herself off of the wall. It was hard to stay on her feet, but she managed to.

Clarisse turned on her and spoke, "Go get Annabeth. You're on thin ice, Reyna. Don't do anything stupid."

Reyna held up her hands and took a small step towards the door. She groaned softly and stepped out of the room. Reyna hurried across the hallway and shoved the doorway open. Annabeth and Camila were gone, but Seva was in the middle of the room.

"She disappeared into the shadows, along with the daughter of Athena," Seva said. She slowly looked at Reyna. "I had nothing to do with this."

"They said you are working with Aquitaine. What's going on?" Reyna demanded. She made it towards her sword and slowly grabbed onto it. Seva simply watched her and remained silent. "What's going on between the two of you?"

Seva studied her for a moment. She finally nodded and spoke, "There is much that we must discuss, imperator. I will go back to your base with you, and you will know the truth."

Reyna studied Seva for a moment and managed a small nod. She slowly made her way back into the room where she had left Clarisse. A glance inside showed that Clarisse was beating the life out of a defenseless Burza. Reyna walked towards Clarisse and grabbed her arm.

"Stop," Reyna said. Clarisse turned on her and glared. "Take her back to Camp Half-Blood and let them deal with her. She knows all about the other assassins. We're going to find Annabeth. I promise."

Clarisse nodded slightly. She looked down at Burza and spat on her. Reyna slowly reached into her armor and handed the folded up paper to Clarisse. Reyna spoke, "I found this. It's a page of the Sibyl books. It has the prophecy we were first given, but there's more lines that are impossible to read. Can Rachel do anything with it?"

"I'll see," Clarisse muttered. She tucked the paper into her pocket with one hand. The other hand grabbed onto Burza's neck, and she pulled Burza to her feet. The former praetor was seemingly out on her feet. "Where's Annabeth?"

"Gone," Reyna answered. Clarisse slowly looked at her and glared. "She was gone before I got back in there. Seva says that Camila disappeared with her. We really can't be divided right now, Clarisse."

"If I find out you had anything to do with this, I am going to hurt you," Clarisse promised. Reyna shook her head and walked out of the room. Pain was running up and down her back. Reyna made it into the hallway but stumbled. Seva caught her arm.

"We have much to do. Let us get to it," Seva said. After a moment, Reyna nodded. She was able to walk, with Seva keeping her steady. Clarisse shoved past both of them, shot a dangerous look back, and stormed down the hallway. "She doesn't believe us."

"Yeah," Reyna muttered. She stared at the ground and felt anger boiling in her chest. "No one ever believes me, so it's not like this is anything new. Come on. Let's get to the base. You have a lot to explain."


	21. Time Heals All Things

As Arcadia followed behind the imperator, she couldn't help but hope for a little action. The building was dark, and Arcadia couldn't really sense anything inside the building. She tried to focus, but nothing else stood out. Arcadia sighed and studied the room.

It seemed to be the front lobby of an empty building. There was nothing on the counter next to the door, and there was lines of spotless floor surrounded by dust. That must have been where the chairs use to be. Arcadia saw the imperator kneel by something.

The imperator stood and walked down the hallway. Arcadia walked towards where the imperator had been kneeling and studied the small amount of dried blood on the ground. It seemed to go down the hallway where the imperator was heading.

Arcadia went to follow after her imperator, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw something glint. Arcadia turned and walked towards the glinting item. As she grabbed onto the item, she studied the dried blood that was on it. Arcadia glanced down the hall and saw the first room led to a restroom.

The goddess turned and stepped into the restroom. She turned on the sink and watched water slowly trickle out. Arcadia began to clean off the symbol. It looked like it had been torn off a necklace. Arcadia held the symbol up and instantly recognized the cornucopia. After a moment of debate, she slipped the symbol into her pocket and turned around.

Arcadia stared at the goddess in front of her. Bellona returned her gaze. By just the look on her face, the Roman goddess of war was in a very foul mood. Arcadia tried to speak. Instead, she was grabbed the throat and slammed into the opposite wall.

"How could you not tell me?" Bellona demanded. She tightened her grip and picked Arcadia off of the ground. Arcadia gasped and tried to pry Bellona's fingers from around her neck. This wasn't that surprising. They had only seen each other twice, since the imperator skipped a meeting on Olympus. Both times involved Bellona threatening bodily harm to Arcadia. She had also mentioned that Arcadia was a terrible influence for Reyna, but what did Bellona know?

"Not tell you what?" Arcadia wheezed. The grip released from her neck, and she was shoved out of the bathroom. Arcadia wasn't even able to make it to her feet, before a hand grabbed her by the back of her neck and dragged her out of the building.

As they made it outside, Arcadia was shoved into an alleyway. She fell to her knees and looked down at the ground. There was two very powerful presences right in front of her. Arcadia swallowed painfully and looked up. A deep breath escaped her as she realized it wasn't her parents. Granted, they both never wanted to see her again.

"You told us nothing about the assassins," Athena stated. She crossed her arms. Arcadia slowly stood. Bellona blocked the way out of the alley, and Athena was giving her a scorching look. The third immortal only watched. "You and Reyna knew about the assassins, but you did not tell anyone."

"Yet, we did not allow a single demigod to be killed by their assassin," Arcadia said. She crossed her arms. "No one would have believed us anyway. The Olympians all wanted the imperator's head. You wanted her to pay for the things she did. This was the best solution."

"The best solution would have been you coming to us. The two of you not only put our children in danger but both of the camps," Athena said. Arcadia shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You act like a child."

"Look, the only thing that matters is that we saved all of them," Arcadia muttered. She glanced at the third immortal. Rhea watched her but still didn't speak. "The imperator listened to my advice to not go to any of the immortals. Besides, I warned you about Eris, and what have you done?"

"She has been in Greece this entire time," Bellona snapped. Arcadia slowly looked back at the goddess. "We understand that a demititan claims that they were attacked by a child of Eris. The same demititan also claims that Eris appeared while she was being attacked. When have we ever been able to trust the demititans?"

"You think the demititans are involved in this? Sarah helped us. She brought this to our attention. If she did not tell us, all of the leaders would have been killed. How can you be so stupid?" Arcadia demanded. She looked back at Bellona and was punched directly in the face.

Bellona slammed Arcadia into the wall and spoke, "You are nothing more than a child. You were sent to the mortal world by your mother and given an important task. All you did was squander it. Your mother punished you for it, and instead of trying to get back in her good graces, you have disgraced you parents."

"My parents have disgraced me. They ban me from Olympus and then dangle the opportunity to return in my face, only if I betray the person I am sworn to protect," Arcadia snapped. She shoved Bellona away from her. "You cannot tell me anything about my parents. You hate your own daughters."

A fist slammed directly into Arcadia's face, and she fell backwards. Bellona raised her boot, but Athena pulled the Roman goddess backwards. Athena spoke, "Keep your temper. We came here for a reason."

"They want you and Reyna to go to Olympus," Rhea said. She helped Arcadia to her feet. It took a moment for Arcadia to place a hand to her nose. She was use to minor injuries when sparring with the legion, but there was a big difference between a mortal hitting her and a very angry goddess doing the punching. "You will tell them what they need to know. Or else."

"The imperator is not going to Olympus," Arcadia said. She looked at Rhea. "I know my father is upset that he couldn't punish the imperator, without angering Atropos. He has been biding his time and waiting. If we go to Olympus, he will find a way to punish Reyna without angering Atropos. I am not a fool."

"You are," Bellona growled. "No one can stay hidden from the gods forever. Hiding in Rome has only bought you a little time, and it has angered Jupiter more. You play with fire."

"And, you know nothing," Arcadia said. She crossed her arms. "We did everything in our power to save those demigod leaders, despite the things they have done to the imperator. We are tracking down the assassins."

"How far have you gotten?" Rhea interrupted. "We can work together on this. You two are coming to Olympus, and you will tell us what you know. We will work together to find and end the assassins."

Arcadia remained silent. The goddesses in front of her were not listening to her, but that didn't matter. The Sixth Legion worked best alone. They didn't any help from any of the camps. The only problem was getting away from the three goddesses.

"Arcadia, you must listen to yourself," Athena said. "You cannot work against your father anymore than you already have. We can get you a spot back on Olympus. You just have to work with us."

"I've been wanting back on Olympus for centuries," Arcadia muttered. She crossed her arms. At first, she hated the punishment of being with mortals. It was degrading, and when she found Caesar and was forced into his service, the hatred grew. Along the way, Arcadia embraced her situation and learned to live with it. She just hated the fact that a chance to return to Olympus was continuously being dangled in her face. "Now, I can see the throne room, if I go on trial."

"It's not like that," Rhea insisted. "There are very powerful forces at work here, Arcadia. The Sixth Legion cannot take it on alone. The camps cannot either. We must all work together, Arcadia. This is for the good of the world."

"Sometimes, this world would be better off without immortal interference," Arcadia muttered. She sighed and looked up. "If the only thing you want is information, I can give it all to you now. There is no need to go to Olympus."

"It is what you father decrees," Athena said. Arcadia rolled her eyes, and a hand grabbed her by the neck again. Bellona looked like she was going to wring her neck, but someone pushed themselves in between the two and shoved Bellona away.

"What are you doing?" Reyna demanded. She stared up at her mother, and after a moment, she looked at the two other immortals. Reyna glanced back at Arcadia and looked concerned. Arcadia gave her a hopefully comforting nod.

"Stay out of this, imperator," Bellona ordered. She grabbed onto Reyna's shoulder and pretty much shoved her aside. Reyna stumbled backwards and stared at her mother. "You two do not have a choice in this. You are both going to Olympus, one way or another."

Arcadia opened her mouth to say something that would probably get her punched again. Instead, the imperator beat her to it. Reyna stepped in front of her mother and spoke, "We are not going anywhere. We do not listen to the will of the Olympians."

Reyna turned towards Athena and spoke, "Do you not know that your daughter is missing and in danger? I just found her in that building with some child of Pluto. They escaped, but Clarisse is taking a demigod named Burza back to Camp Half-Blood."

"What are you talking about?" Athena demanded. Her gaze moved from Reyna and then to her companions. After a moment, Athena stormed past them and hurried into the building. Rhea sighed and placed a hand to Reyna's shoulder. The imperator tensed.

"Champion, we must talk," Rhea began. Reyna pulled away and glared up at the Titaness in front of her. "I know you are upset, but we can work things out. I have worried about you."

"You've just worried about how you can use me," Reyna muttered. She pulled away. "Didn't you get the message, when I left your ring? I don't need you anymore. I don't have to be controlled by you or anyone else."

"That is enough. Rhea has done much for you, and I have as well," Bellona said. Reyna's eyes focused on the ground. She shook her head and then looked back up at her mother. Bellona backhanded her daughter right across the face.

Arcadia quickly stepped between Bellona and the imperator. She slowly looked back at her imperator. Reyna was on her knees and had one hand to her face. There was a look of shock on her face, and it seemed like her cheek was starting to bruise.

"Do not speak," Bellona ordered. She studied her daughter and shook her head in anger. "You have been nothing but disrespectful to those that have tried to help you. "

"You don't deserve respect," Reyna snapped. She stood, and Arcadia turned around. She backed her imperator away and gave her a look. Reyna returned it. "Let go of me."

"Keep your cool," Arcadia whispered. She gently rubbed Reyna's shoulder. "I know you are upset, but you must maintain your calm."

"I have done many things for you. I have shared so much strength with you," Bellona said. Reyna shook her head again and glared at the ground. "You have thrown that aside. All you had to do was tell me about the assassins. I would have helped you."

"You wouldn't have," Reyna snapped. She shoved past Arcadia again and glared up at her mother. "All you care about is your reputation with the Olympians. You have points where you act like you care about Hylla and I, but you really don't. You just want to avoid looking like a monster. Where were you this past month?"

Another slap was the only response that Reyna received. She fell backwards and lunged to her feet. Arcadia grabbed onto Reyna's shoulders and pulled her backwards. It had been a rough past month, but Reyna had done well. She had kept herself calm and from going into her dark place. Arcadia wouldn't allow her imperator to slip back into the darkness.

"I have been keeping the Olympians off of your back," Bellona hissed. She looked in between Arcadia and Reyna. "You two do not know how much trouble you are in. Reyna, do you understand how many Olympians are demanding your head? Your patron has not said a word to us."

"None of you would put a hand on the imperator. You're scared of angering the Fates," Arcadia said. She gently rubbed Reyna's shoulder. Reyna placed a hand back to her face and looked at the ground. "We had to keep this close to the chest. I convinced the imperator of that."

"Juno was right about you, and Jupiter is starting to realize it as well. You are just as much of a disappointment as Juno has been claiming," Bellona said. Arcadia looked up and clenched her fist. It was Reyna's turn to step in between the two. She gave Arcadia a look.

"That's enough. Arcadia and I have business to attend to. We will find Annabeth and return her to Camp Half-Blood. Then, we'll stop the assassins, without your help," Reyna said.

"You are coming to Olympus. There is not a choice for you, reaper," Bellona hissed. Her eyes moved to Arcadia. "You will both come willingly, or I will drag you there. Those are your two options. They are your only options."

"The imperator did nothing wrong," Arcadia said. She gently grabbed onto Reyna's shoulder.. "I am the one who first learned of these assassins. I convinced the imperator to not tell anyone else, as we cannot trust anyone else. If the Olympians want to talk to anyone, they can talk to me."

Bellona studied her for a long moment. Rhea walked towards them and spoke, "I believe that will work. Zeus will have questions for you, and if you answer, we can work towards our goal."

"You can't do this," Reyna hissed. Arcadia turned towards her imperator. "I won't let you be punished because of me."

"My job is to protect you, imperator. I can handle whatever Zeus throws my way," Arcadia whispered. She smiled slightly. "I'll be in and out of Olympus and meet you back here in two hours."

"Two hours," Reyna repeated. She glanced at her mother. "Or, I storm Olympus and find you. Okay?"

"I don't doubt it," Arcadia said. She gripped Reyna's shoulder and smiled again. "I'll be fine. I need you to stay out of trouble though. I found this near the trail of blood that caught your attention."

Reyna nodded slightly. Arcadia reached into her pocket and held out the cornucopia symbol. Reyna gripped it and looked down. Arcadia let go of the imperator's shoulder and turned towards Bellona. The Roman goddess of war grabbed her arm tightly and started to glow. Arcadia felt the world around her change, and she involuntarily closed her eyes. When she reopened her eyes, she was standing inside the throne room of Olympus.

Arcadia let out a deep breath and turned her head. She met the gaze of her father. Zeus was sitting on his throne and staring down at her. Arcadia averted her gaze and focused on anything but her father. She had imagined this many times. All of the scenarios in her head started with her making a witty remark and proving her father wrong for kicking her out of Olympus. In reality, she couldn't even look up.

"Where is the Reaper?" Zeus questioned. He stood and walked towards Arcadia. It took a moment for Arcadia to look up at her father. He stared down at her. No witty remarks came to her mind, so she just stared up at her father. "Where?"

"I have all the answers you need," Arcadia whispered. She tried to clear her throat and speak again, but nothing came out. Arcadia closed her eyes. Where was a witty remark when she really needed it?

"Reyna was worried to come back to Olympus. Arcadia agreed to come in her place and provide you with all of the answers that you want," Rhea explained. Arcadia slowly looked up at her father. "But, I have a question first. Who is Burza?"

Zeus' eyes shot up. He stared at Rhea and slowly walked back towards his throne. Zeus practically collapsed into the throne and spoke, "How do you know that name?"

"The imperator says that Clarisse is taking Burza to Camp Half-Blood. It seems like Burza knows a thing or two about the assassins," Arcadia replied. She let out a deep breath and tried to keep calm herself. That was the longest sentence she had spoken to her father in a very long time.

"Camp Half-Blood," Zeus muttered. He nodded and stood. His gaze focused on Arcadia. "You hid a very big secret from us. You will tell Rhea and Bellona everything that you know. Then, you will return back to your base. Stay in Rome. We will handle the assassins from here."

"No," Arcadia said. She blinked a few times. Arcadia had always heard members of the Sixth Legion talk about how they wanted to take their words and shove them back into their mouths. She never really understood what that meant, until now. Zeus focused his gaze on her.

Arcadia pretty much expected lightning to strike her down where she stood. Instead, she heard footsteps and felt a hand grip her shoulder. Arcadia tensed and slowly looked at her mother. Hera smiled at her and spoke, "It has been so long."

"I wonder why," Arcadia muttered. She really needed to keep her mouth shut. Hera simply smiled and tightened her grip. Zeus studied the two of them and seemed to have a silent conversation with his wife. Arcadia was really starting to regret going to Olympus.

"You will tell us everything that you know," Hera said. "After that, you will keep your imperator in line. It is your job to keep the imperator safe, isn't it? That is the duty you have decided to put upon yourself. Just know that monsters always find a way out."

"You're right," Arcadia said. She turned towards her mother. "Monsters always do find a way out, but it's normally when you come around. They just want to meet their inspiration."

A slap knocked Arcadia right off of her feet, but it felt so good to say those words. Arcadia looked up at her mother and then her father. Zeus gripped his lightning bolt but did nothing else. It was like they were scared to hurt her. If they hurt her, they would invoke the wrath of the imperator. Were they really that scared of Reyna?"

"Mind your tongue," Zeus ordered. He started to walk away. "Keep your imperator on her leash. She will not bring harm to anymore demigods, or the consequences will be on your head. I am going to Camp Half-Blood to see if your claims are true. If they are not, you would be wise to leave before I get back."

Arcadia watched her father disappear. She stood and looked back at Hera. Her mother studied her and then walked away. Arcadia resisted the urge to sneer, and she turned to look at Bellona and Rhea. Bellona shook her head. Rhea was rubbing her forehead.

"Let's get this over with," Arcadia muttered. She looked down and closed her eyes. Arcadia knew they wouldn't get any help from the Olympians. They never did, but the Sixth Legion didn't need help. As soon as Arcadia was done with Olympus, she would pay her own visit to Camp Half-Blood and visit this Burza for herself.


	22. The Ego of Gods

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As Arcadia finished her story, she was sure that Bellona was going to swing at her once again. Rhea was the only one who seemed to really be listening to her. Bellona just glared. Along the way, Athena had joined in and was just prowling around behind Arcadia.

"You should have told us," Bellona said. She grabbed Arcadia's arm tightly and glared into her eyes. "My daughter might think that I do not care about her, but I have been doing everything I can to keep her out of danger. She is the one who decided to continue down her destructive path. I cannot help her anymore. Not until she sees the light."

"You don't understand anything that has happened to your daughter, or you just don't care," Arcadia stated. She glared at Bellona. "Is that the reason that the imperator's father lost his way?"

Arcadia suddenly found herself on the ground, with horrible pain in her jaw. She managed to make it into a sitting position, but Bellona was already gone. Rhea sighed and pulled Arcadia to her feet.

"You should not provoke your betters," Rhea chided. Arcadia rolled her eyes and stared at the ground. She placed a hand to her jaw and rubbed it. Even if the other immortals were older than her, that didn't make them better. It just gave them more time to ruin the world.

In all honesty, Arcadia was pretty innocent. She really just stuck to taking out monsters. Arcadia didn't have children and abandon them, and she didn't ruin the lives of demigods. Arcadia really did mind her own business.

"Why do you continue to antagonize one of your mentors?" Athena questioned. Arcadia didn't respond. She didn't hate Bellona, but after hearing all of Reyna's stories, it was hard to look at the Roman goddess in the same light. Athena sighed and shook her head. "I found no sign of my daughter."

"The imperator wouldn't lie to you about your daughter," Arcadia said. Athena didn't look convinced. "What would she gain from lying? I am here at Olympus. She is awaiting my return. We didn't escape from Bellona and Rhea. There is nothing to be gained."

"The imperator is a very controversial figure. If she had just gone to Olympus when we told her to, we would trust her," Athena said.

"No," Arcadia said. She shook her head. "Reyna would be under your thumb. Her mental state would be in shambles, as you would probably keep her locked away. Or, you would force her to work with the people that cannot stand her. What Reyna did was better, for her."

"The needs of one demigod are not better than the needs of the country. That should be something that both you and the imperator know," Athena said. She started to walk away. "Going down your current path will not net you any friends. You cannot fight against the world forever."

Arcadia didn't say a word. She watched Athena disappear from sight. That left Arcadia alone with Rhea. The Titaness grabbed her arm and started to lead her out of Olympus. Arcadia forced her eyes to the ground.

Arcadia knew what the game was. Instead of just leaving Olympus and appearing at their destination, they were going to force her to walk through Olympus. They wanted Arcadia to look around and realize what she was missing. Arcadia wasn't going to fall for it, and she kept her gaze on the ground.

"You must talk to Reyna. She cannot hate the Olympians," Rhea said. Arcadia shook her head. "There are Olympians here who will have Reyna's back. They will protect her, if you work with us. We can get you back into Olympus."

"I'm already back. It's nothing special from what I see," Arcadia said. She saw another pair of boots appear in front of her, and they didn't move out of the way. Arcadia was forced to stop walking, and she looked up at the person blocking her path.

"Eirene, how can we help you?" Rhea questioned. She smiled at the goddess in front of her. Eirene smiled at them, but her gaze focused on Arcadia. The smile didn't really seem to reach Eirene's eyes either, and it was almost like she was studying prey. Arcadia could have also just been really jumpy.

"I was just looking for Lord Zeus," Eirene said. Her eyes finally moved from Arcadia and focused on Rhea. The smile on Eirene's face grew. "I saw the line outside. I hope I'm not cutting."

"Line?" Arcadia interrupted. She glanced up at Eirene. The goddess of peace just smiled at her. Why did she have a face that looked like it just needed a good punch? "What line are you talking about?"

"I guess all these minor gods have a lot of problems and concerns that need to be addressed," Eirene replied. "They line up outside of Olympus and wait to speak to the Olympians."

"Sounds like a waste," Arcadia commented. She glanced back at Rhea. "It's not like the Olympians will listen to them anyway. The minor gods are called minor gods for a reason. No one cares about them."

"Many think like you do," Eirene commented. "Is your imperator around? I have been meaning to ask her what happened at my temple. You were there, weren't you? You might be able to answer my question."

"I was there for the aftermath," Arcadia said. She looked down. Only Eirene could tell who was in her temple, and Arcadia still had a nagging feeling that Reyna hadn't destroyed Metis by herself. Maybe, Eirene could tell her who else was in the temple. "I can probably answer your questions though."

Eirene nodded and stepped out of Arcadia's way. Arcadia started to walk back out of Olympus, and Eirene followed behind her. The two made it to the elevator and stopped in front of it. Arcadia glanced back at the goddess of peace and raised an eyebrow.

"The music relaxes me," Eirene said with a shrug. She stepped into the elevator. Arcadia rolled her eyes and followed behind. The elevator door started to close, but a hand suddenly stopped it. Arcadia glanced at the door as it opened again. A cloaked figure stepped into the elevator.

"Apologies," the cloaked figure said. He stood in the corner and Arcadia glanced back at him. He didn't have the feel of a minor god. The power he gave off was more ancient. Was he a Titan? What was a Titan doing on Olympus?

Arcadia heard the elevator door close, and the elevator started to move down. She glanced ahead but found herself looking back at the Titan. It was impossible to see his face, due to the way that the shadows from his cloak covered him. Arcadia had definitely seen one of children before though.

The ride down was silent. Eirene seemed to be glancing at the Titan, almost in distaste. Arcadia stared ahead and tried to figure out who the Titan was. The Titan remained silent. Arcadia closed her eyes and sighed. She would meet back up with the imperator, tell her what happened, and then make her way to Camp Half-Blood.

The elevator door opened, and Arcadia stepped into the lobby. She hurried out the door and was flanked by Eirene. The goddess of peace was starting to invade her personal space. They both stepped outside.

"You said you had questions," Arcadia began. She turned around. The Titan was nowhere in sight. Eirene glanced around as well. "You can go ahead and ask them. I don't think anyone is watching."

"It might be easier to go to my temple and show you," Eirene began. Arcadia studied her for a moment and nodded. Eirene gently grabbed her shoulder, and when Arcadia blinked, she found herself in Eirene's temple. Arcadia slowly looked around.

Arcadia didn't have a temple of her own, but if she ever got one, she would not have as many candles. Any raised surface in the temple had candles. It was a definite fire hazard. One side of the room was covered in blankets, pillows, and everything needed for a safe night of sleep. The other side of the temple had a statue of Eirene.

"It's nice," Arcadia began. It really wasn't. The entire place felt peaceful, but it was a fabricated peace. Arcadia could sense the war that was brewing underneath. She also felt a powerful presence. Arcadia turned around and stared at the third goddess in the room.

"This is Arcadia? I was expecting a lot more," the goddess commented. Chaos played in her eyes. Arcadia stared at Eris. She reached a hand towards her sword. Pain suddenly exploded in her lower back, and a sword appeared out of her stomach.

Arcadia stared at the golden blade that had been stabbed through her body. She recognized it instantly: Kronos' blade. Arcadia was pushed off of the blade, and she collapsed to her knee. Eris slammed her knee into Arcadia's face.

Arcadia fell to the ground and tried to roll to her feet. She was kicked right in her stomach wound. Arcadia rolled onto her back and gasped in pain. Eris pinned her with a foot and used golden chains to chain Arcadia's hands in front of her.

"The Sixth Legion is no longer going to be a pest," Eirene said. She knelt by Arcadia and grabbed her face. "You are going to tell us everything that you can about the Sixth Legion. When we are satisfied with the information, we are going to send you to Tartarus."

"I'm not telling you anything," Arcadia wheezed. She stared as Kronos' sword was pressed in between her eyes. Arcadia's eyes narrowed into a glare. "You might as well just send me now."

"Oh no," Eris said. She knelt by Arcadia. "That would be way too easy. Besides, I want you to still be here whenever we destroy your precious legion. I give them a few days to hold out against the might of the Council."

"Council?" Arcadia wheezed. That didn't make sense. They were in an alliance with the Council. Seva had their back, and they had hers. She would never allow the Council to go to war with them. "They wouldn't."

Eirene let go of Arcadia's face and smirked at her. She stood and spoke, "I am going to Camp Half-Blood to keep our meeting. You know what to do Eris. Please make it painful."

"You can't even stay and watch," Arcadia hissed. She tried to sit up, but Eris grabbed onto her jaw and pressed her head against the ground. Arcadia closed her eyes. How could the goddess of peace be doing any of this? Eirene wasn't violent, and well, she was a goddess of peace. This was against her entire existence.

"You don't really think that the Council could keep all of its clans under control, did you?" Eris questioned. "We approached them with an offer that they could not refuse, and they are going to destroy the Sixth Legion. Your imperator won't be able to make it in time, especially since we have plans for her."

"You won't lay a hand on her," Arcadia growled. She hissed as she was pulled to her feet and shoved towards a corner of the room. Arcadia fell to her knees, and Eirene placed a hand to the wall. The wall in front of them opened, and Arcadia was dragged inside.

Arcadia couldn't fight as she was shoved into an empty room. She tried to stand, but Kronos' sword was stabbed into her leg. Arcadia yelled in pain and collapsed to the ground. She hissed and rolled onto her back. Eris pinned her to the ground.

"I have been waiting for this for a very long time," Eris whispered. "The Olympians think that they can do whatever they want and escape consequences, and they have been able to. Their ego has grown beyond comprehension. It's all because of immortals like you and your stupid demigods that you have brainwashed. No more, Arcadia. No more."

Arcadia didn't say a word. She knew that no one was coming to save her. The imperator wouldn't know where she went. The Sixth Legion would be under siege. No one could help her, but that didn't mean she was going to give in. Eris could do whatever she wanted. Arcadia was going to take all of her secrets right to Tartarus.


	23. Jus in Bello

"This is really going to be hard to clean off," Clarisse commented. She stared down at the blood on her hands. Her attention then moved to the demigod that was tied to the chair in front of her. Burza was wheezing for breath and clearly in pain. It sent a feeling of satisfaction though Clarisse. "I told you that we're going to have a really long talk."

"Chiron won't approve of this," Burza wheezed. She started coughing and spat up blood. Burza wheezed again and spat more blood out. She closed her eyes and looked down at the ground. Clarisse grabbed the demigod's hair and forced her head back.

"Chiron is busy at the moment. It's just the two of us," Clarisse said. Her eyes moved around the Big House. Nico was standing in the corner and studying the two of them. Clarisse had sent a message to him asking if he could shadow travel them back to Camp Half-Blood.

Nico seemed to be thinking over Clarisse's story. Clarisse studied him for a moment and then looked back at Burza. The former praetor spat blood at Clarisse's feet. Burza spoke, "I'm not telling you a damn thing."

"Which kneecap to remove first?" Clarisse wondered. She grabbed her spear and stabbed it into Burza's knee. Burza yelled in pain and struggled in the ropes. She wheezed for breath. Clarisse hummed softly and started to twist the spear. Her plan was to pop Burza's kneecap right off. That would get the Roman to talk.

The door behind them opened, and Clarisse turned around. She stared as she met Percy's eyes. How in Ares' name was he back on his feet already? Percy walked towards them and looked around the room. He was holding his stupid little pen, and his eyes were wide.

"I heard a yell," Percy began. He looked down at Burza. His eyes narrowed, and he studied the former praetor. "I know her. I recognize her."

"I think she's the one who helped flog you. She's trying to frame the Sixth Legion and divide us even more," Clarisse said. Percy remained silent and finally shook his head. "How are on your feet anyway?"

"Being a son of Poseidon has its perks," Percy replied. He winced. "It's not fully healed though. Chiron said it should only be a week for me, as long as we keep up with the water treatments. Would she be able to tell me where Annabeth is?"

"Annabeth Chase will be dead soon," Burza wheezed. She looked up at them and smirked. "I really did enjoy hearing your screams, you Greek piece of shit."

Clarisse grabbed her spear and tore it out of Burza's knee. She flipped it in her hands and slammed the blunt end into Burza's throat and then jaw. Clarisse kicked the chair down and heard Burza's head crack against the floor.

"You are going to tell me where Annabeth is," Clarisse growled. She slammed her knee into Burza's chest. Burza wheezed and spat up more blood. "You are going to tell me all about your friends. Who put you all up to this? Why frame the Sixth Legion?"

"Who said anything about framing them?" Burza wheezed. She tried to lift her head but groaned in pain. There was a dazed look in her eyes. "Alliances run very deep, daughter of war. You should know that, or did your patron not tell you?"

Clarisse grabbed onto Burza's shirt and raised her fist. She heard a door open and slowly lowered her fist. Clarisse glanced to her right. Chiron was standing at the door and staring at her. A woman stood behind Chiron. Her eyes were wide as well.

"Clarisse, what are you doing?" Chiron demanded. He slowly walked towards them and stared down at Burza. His attention then moved back to Clarisse. "Get off of her."

After a moment of debating, Clarisse stood. She should have known that she was going to get a lecture. Clarisse spoke, "She knows where Annabeth is. She's part of the assassins. I'm getting the information I need."

"You are torturing a defenseless demigod," the woman interrupted. She walked past Clarisse and knelt by Burza. The woman placed a hand to Burza's chest. "You have destroyed this demigod. Why?"

"She has answers to my questions, and I have a lot of questions," Clarisse answered. She studied the woman. "Who are you anyway? I don't need a lecture from you and Chiron."

"Clarisse, show some respect. This is Eirene: goddess of peace," Chiron said. He made his way to the Burza's side. "I will have a child of Apollo look at her and make sure there isn't too much damage. Clarisse, stay here. Percy and Nico, leave."

"Chiron, she knows where Annabeth is," Percy began. Chiron gave him a look. Percy looked down and nodded. He walked out of the room. Nico slowly followed. Clarisse crossed her arms and watched the scene in front of her.

Eirene stood and looked down at Burza. She spoke, "This is not what I expected out of Camp Half-Blood. We must treat all prisoners with respect, especially during times of war. This conduce breaks all kinds of rules, and it is unbecoming of the champion of Lachesis."

"Don't tell me what is and isn't becoming," Clarisse snapped. She walked towards the goddess. "Burza admitted to hurting Percy. I don't let people hurt my friends and get away with it. There's been too much of that during this past year. I'm not going to let some stupid goddess tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Clarisse, that is enough," Chiron said. "Go and find a place to calm down. Eirene and I will talk to Burza."

Clarisse stared at Chiron. She finally shook her head and backed away from Burza. Clarisse stormed out of the room and made it outside. She threw her spear into the ground and kept walking. Percy made it to her side and met her eyes.

"We're hiding stuff from each other," Percy said. Clarisse met his eyes and stopped walking. "For the past month, Annabeth and I have been working with Eirene. Annabeth's been working really close with Eirene, but she hasn't given me all of the details. All I know is that Eirene learned about this assassination plot. She has these guards or peacekeepers or whatever that were investigating during the wars, but they were taken out by poison. Annabeth managed to save them."

"So, you and Annabeth found the cure for this poison and gave it to the guards?" Clarisse questioned. Percy nodded. "Do you know who poisoned these guards or who they even are?"

"No," Percy replied. "They always wear these masks underneath their helmets and never talk. There's another thing. We found Eris talking to Eirene. Apparently, Eris was upset that her daughter had been forced to attack Sarah and was killed in the process. That's why she went to Eirene, but she also told us who organized the assassins: Arcadia."

"That makes no sense," Clarisse said. She crossed her arms. Percy shook his head. "Why would Arcadia work with me to stop these assassins, if she was behind it? I've known since day one, Percy. I was approached by Arcadia and Sarah. They both told me these assassins were coming, and I've been working with them to stop it."

"So, Arcadia is playing you and Sarah, or Eirene is lying to us," Percy said. He crossed his arms. "I don't trust Reyna one bit. I don't trust Arcadia either, but it doesn't make sense for the Sixth Legion to stop these assassinations, if they are the ones who planned it."

"Someone is playing us," Clarisse said. She looked back at the Big House. "And, Burza knows who it is. I need time alone with her. I can get the answers that we need."

"Chiron won't allow it, especially if Eirene is here. I can try to talk to Eirene and let her know that Annabeth is missing. Eirene seems to care about Annabeth. She might be willing to spare some of her peacekeepers to help us find her. We really can't trust Reyna though. She needs to stay out of this loop."

Clarisse remained silent. She could tell Percy about the meeting, but that would probably only anger him more. He would be upset that she had been so close to Annabeth and been unable to get to her, or he would be upset that Reyna was involved. Clarisse sighed. They needed to trust each other, especially with all of these questions.

"I found Burza at the same place that we held out meeting," Clarisse said. Percy looked at her, and his eyes went wide. "She was there with Reyna and was taunting her. Reyna and I subdued Burza, and Reyna told me that Annabeth was there with a child of Hades. I didn't find your girlfriend. All I saw was some woman I don't recognize. Her name was Seva."

"Seva. The Council," Percy whispered. He looked at Clarisse. "The Council did this. I remember now. We were meeting with Seva, and after the meeting, we were ambushed. The Council controls all of Europe, even the Sixth Legion. What if the Council has people inside of the Sixth Legion?"

"It makes sense. Arcadia might not know, and Reyna is too new to leadership to know," Clarisse said. Her eyes focused on the ground. "The bounties. I knew it. I visited the Sixth Legion base and found Aquitaine's room. There was a note under her bed that promised money, if she could take out the leaders."

"There was a bounty that said she was a severion, right? Those are the demigod assassins? It makes sense," Percy said. "Aquitaine infiltrated the Sixth Legion and has been giving the Council information about them. Maybe, they allowed the demigod leaders to be saved, to clear themselves of suspicion. Then, Aquitaine could strike."

"Arcadia could have kept them out of the loop too," Clarisse said. "They could have only known about their own individual assignments. Aquitaine might not have been in a position to allow the assassin to strike and kill their targets, so she lets them get away to try again."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but we need to send a message to Reyna. Can you do that?" Percy asked. Clarisse nodded. "I'm going to wait for Eirene to finish in there, and then, I'll talk to her about Annabeth."

"Sounds good," Clarisse said. She turned and walked away. All she really wanted to do was barge back into the room and beat the truth out of Burza. Instead, she made her way back towards her cabin. Along the way, Clarisse pulled the paper out of her pocket.

Clarisse slowly unfolded the paper and studied it. She read over the lines that had been from the prophecy when her father's shield had been stolen. Gods, that felt like years ago. Clarisse sighed and looked at the bottom of the paper. She spoke, "Peace shall fall."

"Peace has already fallen," Clarisse muttered. She rolled her eyes and kept walking. The entire thing was a waste of time. Peace was destroyed when the shield was stolen. They had never gotten it back. Clarisse threw the paper to the ground. It was a waste of time.

"What's that?" Rachel asked. Clarisse turned and looked at the Oracle. Rachel looked at her and then the Big House. "I heard a scream and saw your bloody spear. Is everything okay?"

"Perfect," Clarisse snapped. "Reyna is wasting my time with this stupid piece of paper that apparently has a prophecy on it. The only lead I have on the assassins is with Chiron, but Chiron won't allow me to beat the answer out of that lead. It's great, Rachel."

Rachel studied her for a moment and grabbed the piece of paper from the ground. She studied the paper and stared at it. Rachel shivered and walked away. Clarisse rolled her eyes and spoke, "Great conversation."

Clarisse sighed and looked down. She needed to pretend to cool off, so Chiron would let her back into the room. Patience wasn't Clarisse's strong point, but for now, it had to be. She needed to keep her calm and work with Chiron. With luck, she would get his permission to beat all of the answers out of Burza.


	24. What Should Never Be

Eirene couldn't believe her plans were falling apart in front of her. They had managed to trick and capture the gnat known as Arcadia. Eris was going to work out some of her anger on the goddess. The assault on the Sixth Legion would begin soon. Eirene had yet to find Reyna, but the imperator would be dealt with soon. The only problem was the one right in front of her.

The three peacekeepers had one, simple job. It was something almost any demigod could have done. So, how did it all get ruined? Eirene looked down at the ground and found her answer. Of course. Burza had ruined the plan. When didn't that damned demigod ruin everything?

Eirene took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. The plan was simple. Annabeth Chase had been taken to the meeting site. The councilor from Rome, Seva, was also suppose to go to the building, thinking that she was meeting with the negotiator from the Sixth Legion. Camila should have killed both of them, and Reyna would stumble upon the scene a few hours later.

The Council would have been thrown into war with Camp Half-Blood, which would have dragged Camp Jupiter into it. The demigods would take each other out, and Eirene's peacekeepers would sweep up the remains. Instead, Camila and Theo returned to Eirene with the story of their failure.

Eirene could not allow her timeline be interrupted. Everything had led to this day. That was why she was at Camp Half-Blood. She needed witnesses. They would sat that Eirene did nothing, while the end of the world began. The last thing she expected was to find Burza being interrogated.

Eirene let out another deep breath and looked down at her peacekeeper. Burza was clearly in pain and seemed to have a concussion. The only question was how long would Burza last before she spilled her guts. Eirene's eyes moved towards Chiron. The Centaur was studying Burza as well.

"Chiron, your campers have tortured her," Eirene said. She looked at him and crossed her arms. Eirene just hoped that her hands weren't shaking too badly. Things couldn't fall apart. She had worked so hard. Burza's mouth was not going to ruin everything, not while Eirene still breathed. "What do you have to say?"

"I did not know. I would have never allowed this," Chiron said. He cut the ropes that kept Burza tied to the chair. Burza collapsed in a heap and placed a hand to her bleeding knee. She rested her head against the ground.

"You need to get a child of Apollo. I will watch her," Eirene said. Chiron nodded and left the room. After a few moments, Eirene knelt by Burza and grabbed her jaw. Burza looked up at her with dazed eyes. "How did you ruin this?"

"The Reaper," Burza wheezed. She groaned in pain and coughed out more blood. "She got there early and ruined our plans. I'm sorry, my lady. I'm so sorry. We managed to extract Annabeth Chase."

"You were suppose to kill her," Eirene hissed. She shoved Burza down in disgust. Burza groaned and curled up on her side. Eirene began to pace back and forth. She had caused Reyna to fall into what should have been a deep sleep. Reyna wasn't suppose to be awake until another hour, and she would have used the demititan to help her return.

In a perfect world, Eirene's plan would have gone off without a hitch, even the demititans would get dragged into the war. The demigods would wipe themselves out, and the gods would be powerless. This was not a perfect world though, and Eirene's plans were disrupted. She would salvage what she could.

Eirene knelt down by Burza and grabbed the dagger at the demigod's hip. It wouldn't be too hard to cut the demigod's tongue out. The demigod couldn't talk about Eirene's plans without a tongue. Eirene grabbed onto Burza's jaw. The demigod didn't try to fight. She wouldn't be moving for a long time.

Eirene started to raise the dagger, but her hand began to shake. The goddess of peace closed her eyes and lowered the dagger. She couldn't do it. Despite the fact that Burza was so close to ruining her plans, Eirene couldn't bring herself to relieve the demigod of her tongue.

There was another way though. Eirene placed the dagger back onto Burza's hip and stood. She had to repeat her earlier statement to herself: things were still salvageable. The Sixth Legion was going to be dealt with very soon. Annabeth was still under her thumb. Eirene could make things work. She had to.

The door behind Eirene opened. A small smirk came to her face. She was more than happy to yell at Chiron about his camp's treatment of Burza. It would buy her more time. Eirene closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Chiron, I am struggling to understand this," Eirene said. She opened her eyes and turned around. Her eyes widened. The person at the door was most definitely not Chiron. Eirene took a step back. "Lord Zeus. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see my daughter," Zeus replied. Burza slowly looked up at her father. Her eyes widened, and she tried to back away. A small groan escaped, as she barely managed to move backwards. Burza hissed and slowly dragged herself backwards, until she hit a wall. The effort clearly hurt. "How did you survive?"

"You can't kill me," Burza wheezed. She rested her head against the wall. A small smirk came to her face. "Nothing you do to me can stop the wheels that have been put into motion."

"There is still a chance for you, Burza. You can make all of this right," Zeus said. He walked towards his daughter and knelt by her. "You can tell me all about the assassins. Give your string back to the Fates. Camp Jupiter will make a place for you. Nothing that you did is unforgivable."

Burza didn't respond. Her gaze moved to the ground. For a moment, it looked like she would actually take Zeus up on his offer. Eirene felt her heart clench. Burza finally shook her head and looked up at her father.

"So be it," Zeus said. He took a deep breath and stood. The door behind them opened. Eirene glanced behind her, and she saw Chiron enter the room. Two demigods, presumably children of Apollo, followed behind him. The two demigods saw Zeus and stopped walking.

"Lord Zeus," Chiron greeted. He looked down at Burza. "How do you want to do this, my lord?"

"Burza knows about what is going on. We need the answers from her," Zeus replied. He grabbed Burza by her jaw and pulled the demigod to her feet. Burza wheezed and slowly grabbed onto her father's hands. "You have one more chance to tell me what you know."

"I am going to complete my work," Burza wheezed. Every word sounded like it sent terrible pain through her. Zeus tightened his grip. After a moment, he let go of his daughter. Burza fell to one knee, and she slowly rolled onto her back. Zeus walked towards Chiron and grabbed his arm. The lord of the Olympians led the Centaur out.

The two children of Apollo stared at Burza. After a moment, they slowly moved to her side. Eirene closed her eyes and thought of her temple. When she opened her eyes, she was standing in front of her statue. Eirene stared at the statue of herself.

Eirene was the goddess of peace. It was her job to protect this world from the violence and war that engulfed it. Eirene had failed at her job before, but now, she would do her job. The goddess took a deep breath and walked towards the corner of the temple. She placed a hand to it and watched the wall open.

Eirene stepped inside her safehouse. She began to walk down the hall but stopped at the first room. A glance inside showed that Eris was still hard at work with trying to make Arcadia spill her guts. Hopefully, Eris would have all of the information they needed by the end of the night.

After watching for a few more moments, Eirene walked down the hallway again. All her peacekeepers were on the move. They were completing jobs on their own and waiting for further instruction. Everything was so close to being completed, and Eirene would not let anything stop her.

Eirene made it down the hall and made a left turn. She looked around the small, barren room. The goddess slowly looked around, to make sure that no one was watching. Eirene walked towards the wall and placed a hand to it.

There was a small click, and the wall opened up. Eirene stared at the twelve boxes in front of her. Each box held a string that belonged to one of her peacekeepers. Eirene grabbed the box that held Burza's string, and she cradled the box close to her chest, as if it would explode at any moment.

Strings were a complicated matter. When a mortal was born, Clotho would begin to make their string, and Lachesis would measure the string. The moment that Lachesis cut the string from its' spool was the same moment that a mortal breathed for the first time. When a mortal was about to die, Atropos would cut their string in half.

The Fates kept all of the strings close to them, but there was times when the Fates would step away from their lair. That was how Eirene had stolen the first two strings and made her first two champions. When the strings had fallen into Eirene's hands, it was like the Fates forgot that the two demigods even existed. There was no way for the peacekeepers to die, as the string could not be cut.

Eirene wasn't sure how all of it worked, and she probably never would. She just knew that her peacekeepers stopped aging at a certain point, which she assumed was the point at which they were suppose to die. Eirene looked down at the box.

If she handed Burza's string over to her, the Fates would know that Burza was alive. Eirene didn't know how though. She had just seen her mistake first hand, when she gave her very first peacekeeper their string. The champion of Atropos had found him and slaughtered him like cattle, but, the current champion of Atropos was not going to be a problem soon.

Eirene grabbed a bag that was resting on the bottom of the secret cabinet. She placed the rest of the boxes inside the bag and zipped it shut. Eirene blinked and found herself back at the Camp Half-Blood. The two children of Apollo were both kneeling by Burza, and neither seemed to realize that Eirene had disappeared for a minute. One kept a wary eye on the peacekeeper, and the one was busy working on her knee.

Eirene grabbed Burza's string and hid it in her hand. She placed the box in one of the pockets of the bag, and she walked towards Burza. Eirene knelt next to her peacekeeper and placed a hand to the demigod's chest. The goddess spoke, "How is she?"

"Hurt badly," one of the children of Apollo answered. He glanced at them. Burza glared and grabbed onto Eirene's hand. Eirene started down at her peacekeeper. She felt Burza gently grab onto her string,a and the demigod shoved her hand away.

"Don't touch me," Burza snapped. Her eyes didn't leave Eirene's. It almost seemed like she was surprised. Eirene kept her face emotionless. She always knew that her peacekeepers would get their string again, even if she didn't like it. With the string, she held control over them. Now, she just had to hope that loyalty was enough.

Burza laid her head back and sighed softly. Eirene could feel the power that was radiating off of the demigod double. She wouldn't pretend to know how it worked, but when a demigod held their string, their power grew. If Eirene had to guess, it was probably because the lack of a string meant that demigods didn't have as strong of a connection to their godly parents as they did when they had their string or the Fates did.

"Make sure she isn't in too much pain," Eirene ordered. It would only be a matter of time now. She would need to find the rest of her peacekeepers and give them their strings. "If Camp Half-Blood requires any assistance, please do not hesitate to have Chiron call me."

Eirene sighed and walked out of the room. After visiting her peacekeepers, she would find Zeus and see how she could assist him. All Eirene needed was to be cleared of any wrongdoing. Her peacekeepers and Eris would do the right thing. They had planned this for many years. Now, Eirene just needed to wait. Soon, everything would be at peace.


	25. Hoc Est Bellum

Bristol stared at the wall in front of him. His gaze focused on the small spot of dirt that was near the bottom of the wall. It looked like it had been there for a few weeks. They would need to clean that soon. In fact, he would bring it up to the imperator. The next person to collapse in training would get to use their toothbrush to clean the wall. A paintbrush might be better though, especially if he could find one that only had a few hairs.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sparta shift. She winced in pain and shifted once again. It didn't seem like she could get comfortable in her chair. If she kept moving, Bristol was going to tie her to the chair. Sparta glanced at him and raised her eyebrow.

Bristol's attention moved back to the wall. He had been standing with his arms behind his back for a couple of hours now, but it didn't really bother him. Most demigods struggled with their ADHD. Bristol had learned long ago how to focus all of his energy into his thoughts.

"Are we really doing this, Bristol? There is no way that Aquitaine would turn her back on us," Sparta whispered. Bristol didn't respond. His eyes moved across the room. Aquitaine was staring at the table that she was sitting at. The bag of money, the notes, and the files were right in front of her, but she refused to look at them.

"We are following our imperator's orders," Bristol said. Sparta sighed and shook her head. A smile almost came to Bristol's face. He remembered being young and unable to listen to orders. The British Army had sorted him out. He knew that Sparta had joined the Russian army and excelled at it, but her temper and attitude was still there, even after two years.

Bristol glanced at Sparta. She just needed to mature, and she would be great. Bristol sighed and spoke, "You would not disobey the imperator, would you?"

"Of course not," Sparta said. She looked down and then glanced up. "I just think it stupid. That Greek had to plant the evidence or someone else did. Aquitaine wouldn't do this. We cannot be divided right now."

"That is why we are going to get this sorted as soon as the imperator returns," Bristol said. He looked down. Bristol didn't know if he could trust the Greek or not, but at the same time, it wasn't his job to. The imperator would cut truth from fiction. Bristol didn't need to make assumptions, unless he was asked to. "For now, we follow orders."

"Yeah," Sparta muttered. She sighed and rubbed her face. Sparta winced and looked at the ceiling. They both heard a rapid knocking on the door. Bristol turned his head and opened the door. One of the Sixth Legion scouts stared at him. They were covered in blood and dirt.

"What happened?" Bristol questioned. The scout wheezed in pain and allowed their shoulders to droop. Bristol stared at them. "Do you need to sit, Albany?"

"No, centurion," Albany answered. He took a deep breath "We were scouting, and we were ambushed by barbarian scouts. There is an army coming from all sides. Where is the imperator?"

"Away with Arcadia. Send them a message now," Bristol ordered. He looked at Sparta. "Get the troops together. We will stand ready for the imperator's orders."

Sparta nodded and stood. She hurried out of the room. Albany was already gone. Bristol turned his head to look at Aquitaine. She studied him, and after a moment, she placed her hands on the table. Bristol walked towards her and grabbed handcuffs from his belt. He handcuffed Aquitaine's wrists to the table.

"We should also try to get in contact with Sven," Aquitaine said. Bristol nodded slightly. He studied Aquitaine and then walked out of the room. He heard an alarm sound throughout the base. Bristol walked towards the armory and grabbed his pack and sword. It wasn't long before others were filing into the armory.

Bristol focused on his sword. His only guess was that the army was connected to the assassins. Who comprised the army though? No one knew where the Sixth Legion base exactly was, besides members of the Sixth Legion. Former members would know as well.

"Nikaia," Bristol muttered. That woman had been a thorn in his side for years, and somehow, she remembered where the Sixth Legion base was. Could she have planted the evidence underneath Aquitaine's bed? Bristol shook his head. It wasn't up to him to make those decisions.

Bristol walked out of the armory and fixed his armor. He saw Albany appear at his side. Albany's eyes were wide, and the scout spoke, "I cannot send a message to the imperator. I can't send any messages. The coin just goes right through."

"Send a messenger bird then," Bristol said. Albany stared and opened his mouth. He finally looked down and nodded. "We need three of your best scouts. Send one to Sven. The second is going to America to find the Amazons. We need to get in contact with the imperator. Your third scout is going to find Tyre."

"It will be done," Albany said. He opened his mouth, and Bristol could see all of the doubt in his eyes. Bristol grabbed his shoulder. "Will we be able to hold out?"

"We are called the ironclad legion for a reason," Bristol replied. Albany nodded and ran down the hall. Bristol took a deep breath and took off towards the imperator's office. He stepped inside and looked at the fountain in the corner of the room. He tossed a golden drachmae at it and watched the coin fall to the floor.

Bristol grabbed his dagger and rubbed the hilt. He thought of Arcadia, but nothing happened. Bristol looked down. They were in trouble. Arcadia should have appeared as soon as he rubbed the hilt. Bristol closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Bristol needed to remain calm. The imperator had planned for this. If the imperator and Arcadia were incapacitated, Bristol and Aquitaine would lead the legion. The problem was that Aquitaine was being accused of working with the assassins. He was alone to lead the legion.

The legion would be ready for battle in only a few minutes. His only question was if they should try to fight their way out or defend their base. No one would know exactly where the base was located, but they were being surrounded on all sides. They would have plenty of time to fortify their defenses though.

"We need a plan," Sparta said. She appeared at Bristol's side and placed a hand to her ribs. "And fast. Bristol, the imperator has got to have something in her office that will help us. She's got a sister that a can help us."

"We can't send messages, Sparta. We're on our own for now," Bristol said. Sparta looked down. "Look, we will hold out for as long as we can. I need you to keep your cool and help me lead this legion. Three scouts are going to different places for help. We just have to hold out."

Bristol nodded to himself. Their base held valuable information that had been collected over the centuries. It had all been copied down onto a laptop and put on a flashdrive that was in the imperator's office. They could burn the inside of the base and take the flashdrive, but it would be a waste to destroy that much knowledge, when they didn't really need to. They could hold out.

"You're right," Sparta said. She took a deep breath and winced. "Bad idea. Alright, whatever you need, Bristol. I talked to the scouts. Everyone on our borders is converging on us, so the Council either approved this, or this army is going against the Council."

"Everyone on our borders?" Bristol questioned. Sparta nodded. "They might be working together for now, but we can change that. Look for anything in the office. Meet me at the entrance in three minutes."

Bristol left the office without waiting for a response. He walked back towards the room that he had left Aquitaine in. Aquitaine was still sitting at the table. There was no emotion on her face, and her gaze stayed focused on the table. After a moment, she looked up.

"We can't get in contact with the imperator and Arcadia. The two of us need to lead this legion," Bristol said. He walked towards Aquitaine and grabbed her right arm tightly. Bristol grabbed the sleeve that covered her arm. "What am I going to find?"

"Not what you think," Aquitaine replied. Her face was still carefully guarded. Bristol sighed and let go of her arm. He trusted Aquitaine, even if it was going to be the death of him. Bristol unlocked the handcuffs. "What is the plan?"

"Sparta says that we are surrounded on all sides. Who can we turn against who?" Bristol asked. A small smile came to Aquitaine's face. She stood and walked out of the room. Bristol followed behind her. "You know the rest of the clans better than anyone. If we can divide them, we can conquer them."

"I'll have to talk with the scouts and learn who they saw," Aquitaine said. She crossed her arms. "It won't be too hard to turn the clans against each other. Have you made plans for us to leave?"

"No. We're holding out," Bristol said. Aquitaine stopped walking. She turned to look at Bristol. "We're not going anywhere. The legion can hold out here long enough. The clans will start fighting when they take some loses."

"We need to leave, Bristol. If we stay here, we make an easy target," Aquitaine said. "We must smash straight into one side of the army, tear through them, and make our way to Sven. He can provide us shelter."

"There is no way that we can make that march," Bristol argued. "If we manage to smash through however many armies are between us and Sven, there is no way we will get to Germany in time. This goes past our training, and we don't know what waits for us in between. The Council controls the cities around us."

"The Council didn't organize this," Aquitaine argued. Bristol shook his head. "I know they didn't, Bristol. We need to use this time to find out who the clans in the army are, and we can make a plan."

"We need to fortify our defenses," Bristol snapped. He took a deep breath and tried to keep his cool. They were only wasting time by arguing. "Trying to smash through an army will only lead to causalities than we can't take."

"Let's get starved out instead. Great idea," Aquitaine said. Bristol glared at her. "We cannot allow ourselves to be surrounded."

"That's enough!" Sparta snapped. She shoved herself in between the two of them. "You two need to stop arguing. This isn't getting us anywhere. Why don't we just do both of your plans?"

"Both," Bristol asked. He looked down at Sparta. After a moment, Sparta looked at him and then slowly looked around. She swallowed painfully. "That would waste time, Sparta. Stay out of this."

Sparta clenched her jaw and glared. She finally shook her head and looked down at the ground. Aquitaine gave Bristol a sharp look, and Bristol returned it. A hand slapped Bristol in the back of the head, and another hand slapped the back of Aquitaine's head.

"You two are bickering like a married couple, "Avaris stated. She tossed a large duffel bag towards Sparta, who was almost knocked off her feet as she caught it. "The imperator may have promoted you two to centurions, but if you can't work together, we won't last long."

Bristol slowly looked at their doctor. He sighed tiredly and spoke, "You're right. If we're going to move, we need to do it now. Waiting any longer will only hinder us. I'll get everyone ready."

"There's one door to defend," Aquitaine began. She looked at Bristol. "I think Sparta might be right. We can do both of our plans. Most of the legion will plunge directly into the weakest side of the army and push for Sven. The rest hold out here. They should have enough food to get by, and anyone who tries to break in will be met with a nasty surprise."

"Odds of survival go down as less people stay behind," Avaris stated. Her eyes looked at all of them. "Who's it going to be?"

"It was my idea," Bristol began. He closed his eyes. It would be a honor to lead a few volunteers and defend their base. If he died, that would be his fate. Bristol opened his eyes.

"I'll stay," Aquitaine said. She looked at Bristol. "There's already been doubt cast upon me. If I go with the army, they will think it is a trap. You have leadership experience as well. They look up to you."

"You know everything about the clans. We need your knowledge on the front lines," Bristol argued. He glanced down at his watch. They had wasted so many precious minutes trying to make a plan. If the imperator had been there, they would already be putting the plan into action.

"Both of you should go," Sparta began. Bristol turned to look at her. "I'm the most expendable. Bristol, the army needs your leadership. Aquitaine, they need your knowledge of the clans. I'll stay and defend this place to my last breath. Give me nine others."

Bristol shook his head. Sparta had been in the legion longer than any of them, but she had been a child for over half of that time. There was no way that Sparta could lead this important of a mission. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Aquitaine shaking her head as well. Sparta gave both of them an angry looks.

"Perfect," Avaris interrupted. She took the duffel bag from Sparta and tossed it towards Bristol. A heavy weight slammed into Bristol's chest, and he barely kept from stumbling. "There is some medicine in the infirmary. If you think that you can't hold out, burn everything and swallow the flashdrive."

"Wait," Bristol began. He hissed as two fingers grabbed his ear and started to drag him away. A look to his side showed that Aquitaine was suffering the same fate. Avaris dragged them a few feet away and finally let go. Bristol placed a hand to his ear and glared at the doctor. "What are you doing?"

"Making the decisions that you are too scared to make. Get yourselves together," Avaris ordered. "I will find volunteers to stay behind. The two of you need to make a battle plan. Don't argue with me."

Bristol didn't even try to open his mouth. He just watched the doctor walk away. A small smile came to his face. Bristol glanced at Aquitaine and spoke, "Just like old times, right?"

"Let's not burn down anything this time," Aquitaine commented, and a smile came to her face. Bristol nodded his agreement and looked down at the ground. A deep breath left him. They were about to go to war with an unknown amount of clans. He didn't know how large the army against them was, but in the end, it didn't matter. The Sixth Legion, like always, would prevail. One way or another.


	26. Gotterdammerung

Reyna slowly looked around the restaurant and glared. It hadn't even been a hour, but she was getting impatient. All she wanted was for Arcadia to appear. Reyna had a good vantage point of the building, but she hadn't seen anything. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Seva glance at her.

For the majority of the time, Seva had been focused on her tablet. It seemed to be the way that she communicated with the rest of the Council, when she was away. Seva definitely had experience with it, since she didn't even look at her food as she ate it. Seva spoke, "Are you sure you do not want food? My treat?"

"I'm fine," Reyna muttered. All she really wanted was for Arcadia to return. Then, they could sort out the whole mess. Reyna looked down at the table and rested her head in her hands. Anger burned in her chest, and there seemed to be no way to get rid of it.

Reyna closed her eyes. The pain in her back had subsided, but her cheek still ached from being slapped. She knew that she couldn't trust her mother or any of the immortals. They only care for themselves, despite all of the things that Reyna had done for them. The only immortal that Reyna remotely trusted was Lupa and her patron: Atropos.

Reyna took a deep breath and tried to relax. Maybe, she would take Seva up on her offer. The only thing Reyna had for breakfast was a stupid little cereal bar that barely qualified as food. Reyna let out a deep sigh. She just needed two minutes to herself.

After a few minutes, it seemed like all of the restaurant in the noise had stopped. It was nice and peaceful. Reyna sighed and slowly lifted her head. She focused on Seva. The councilor was staring at her tablet and not moving. It didn't even seem like she was blinking.

Reyna slowly looked around the restaurant. A waitress two tables over was in the process of putting drinks on a table, but she was frozen in her movement. At another table, a couple was in the middle of raising their glasses to toast, but they weren't completing the action. A noise behind her broke the silence, and Reyna quickly stood. She whirled around.

A woman looked at her and smiled. The woman had pale eyes and black hair. A pocket watch dangled between her fingers. Reyna stared at the pocket watch. It was the same one that a mysterious figure had used to stop time and confront her. This woman was different though.

"I am sorry to interrupt your dinner," the woman said. Reyna glared and didn't respond. She moved her hands to her side but couldn't find her sword. The woman's eyes moved to the right, and Reyna saw her sword resting on a nearby table. "My name is Zara. I've been wanting to meet you for some time now."

"You've been wanting to meet me?" Reyna questioned. She crossed her arms. Her eyes focused on the pocket watch that was dangling from Zara's fingers. Reyna slowly looked around the restaurant. She could lunge for her sword, as there was no visible weapon on Zara. "Who are you?"

"I'm someone who is just like you," Zara answered. She sighed tiredly and sat on top of one of the booths, using the table as a footrest. "I have been used by the gods and left broken. I don't remember the last time I had a full night of sleep without nightmares. Do you?"

Reyna glared at the woman in front of her. She looked around. No one else seemed to realize what was going on. Reyna spoke, "What did you do to Annabeth? Where is she?"

"She's safe with my friends," Zara answered. She flipped the pocket watch up and caught it. "If she will be harmed later, I cannot say. I want to talk to you though, Reyna. I understand what you are going through. I understand the chaos in your head. The voices never stop."

"You don't know a thing," Reyna snapped. She stepped away from the table and inched towards her sword. "What do you you want from me? Have you brought me here to taunt me?"

"No," Zara replied. She held her hand out and allowed the pocket watch to dangle again. "The gods have all of these tools, but sooner or later, they transcend them. They leave these devices behind for us to find and use for our own whims. Kronos used this, before he learned how to control time with just a snap."

"You hold one of these devices yourself," Zara said. She smiled and motioned towards Reyna's sword. After a moment, Reyna walked towards her sword and grabbed it. "Atropos has used many shears in her time. The oldest of shears was used to cut the strings of the gods that don't belong in this world anymore. Those who faded have faced her shears, but there came a point where none would fade anymore. Atropos threw the shears aside."

"Pieces of Atropos' first shear were used to create Kronos' scythe. How else could he send his father straight to Tartarus? How else could he destroy other immortals? Gods are much like mortals. They have their own strings, and they hold them very close to their chest. When the blade cuts into their chest, they are cast into Tartarus," Zara whispered. "Your sword came from the shears that were used around the time of the first man."

"Why are you telling me this?" Reyna asked. Zara didn't reply. She only smiled. Reyna crossed her arms again but kept her gaze on her hip. She studied her sword's pommel. Was it really something that Atropos had used? Was that why the gods seemed to fear it? Is that why they feared her?

"Our lady brought us back to bring peace to this hopeless world. She thinks that demigods are to blame for the chaos, and she is right. We are instruments of destruction, but who orders that destruction? Who has caused all of our pain and suffering?" Zara asked. Reyna didn't respond.

"The gods," Zara continued. Reyna slowly looked at her. "Who convinced those rogue Amazons to attack you? Who started a war that caused you to lose so many things, including your very soul? Who has taken all of your sacrifices and not given a damn about them? Who uses and uses and uses demigods until they die or burn out or go insane or kill themselves just to stop the madness?"

"The gods," Reyna answered. She looked down and then looked up at Zara. "Why target the demigods leaders then? That doesn't make sense."

"It was the will of our lady: our patron. We cannot turn our back on our patron, can we?" Zara questioned. "She knows that we are just tools to be used. The gods use their tools to do what they cannot. Isn't that what happened to you, Reyna?"

Reyna looked down and tried to speak. Instead, she found herself waiting for Zara's next words. Zara slid into the booth and placed a hand to the table in front of her. She spoke, "Sit with me. No harm will come to you."

After a few moments, Reyna slowly walked towards the table and sat down. She met Zara's eyes, and it was too easy to see herself in the eyes of the demigod in front of her. Zara spoke, "The gods could not stop Ouranos. They put the world upon the shoulders of one teenage girl and forced her to do the unthinkable. They forced you to allow Kronos to use you as a vessel. It was the only way, since the gods were too scared to help you."

"Then, you destroy Ouranos, and Eris convinces Annabeth to reveal that you committed patricide. It rips your home away from you and sends you further down the spiral that started with Phrike. Those same voices taunt me everyday. It is so hard to tell what is your thoughts and what is theirs," Zara whispered. She looked down. "Gods, it is so hard."

"They stop sometimes," Reyna muttered. Zara nodded her agreement. Reyna looked up at Zara. "What caused your voices to start?"

"Camp Half-Blood sent me on a quest with two of my best friends. One of them made a decision that led us into a trap. I gave them time to escape, and I was captured. They wanted information about Camp Half-Blood, and they did horrible things to me. Then, they left me alone in a dark room for days or weeks. It could have been a month. There just came a point when I snapped," Zara whispered. She closed her eyes.

"They didn't come for me. My friends didn't come for me. Camp Half-Blood didn't come for me," Zara continued. "The voices were my only friends, until she came. She rescued me. She offered me new life. I thank her for that life, and that is why I follow her. For now."

"You're going to rebel against the person who saved you?" Reyna asked. Zara smiled but didn't respond to the question. Reyna glanced down at her sword. It was still in her hands. She could just lung across the booth and end the demigod in front of her. Instead, she placed the sword back into its sheathe. "Why are you really here? Are you going to threaten me with hurting my sister or taunt me about Annabeth? That's what all the others have done."

"I came here to talk, Reyna. I don't want to fight you. We are not like the others," Zara said. "We understand what these wars have done to your Reyna; they destroyed you. That is why I came here with an offer. There are twelve of us who are tired of the way this world is, but just like Hestia did for Dionysus, one of us will stand aside for you."

Reyna slowly looked up in surprise. Zara spoke, "You know all about cycles, don't you? The cycle that started with Kronos overthrowing his Ouranos. Then, Zeus overthrew Kronos. They always said that the son would overthrow the father, but it's just the child. Burza will see to that."

"You want to destroy the Olympians and take their place?" Reyna questioned. Zara nodded once. "That's insane. You can't become a god. That's impossible."

"No. It's not. It just takes a little intuition. The whole becoming a god part is a bridge that we will cross later. For now, we will dip ourselves into the River Styx. Once we have our strings back, we will hold them very close to our chest. That will make us as strong as the Olympians and keep us from death. I believe that once there is a power vacuum from the demise of the Olympians, we will be able to fill it."

"I've watched you for some time now," Zara continued. "There was a point where I was stuck. I could only see the world through death. I watched all of the people that you and your friends lost. Your mental state is in absolute shambles, even though you've been hiding it. How long is that bandage going to last?"

"I'm fine," Reyna muttered. She glared at the the demigod in front of her. Zara smiled softly and stood. Reyna moved her glare to the table. "I don't have a bandage over anything."

"You talked to someone about your problems, but you only skimmed the surface. You told Arcadia about the things that those Arimaspi did to you, but you never went into detail. You didn't tell her about how it felt like your soul was being torn apart. You didn't tell her about the fact that you still wake up feeling the pain from a knife that isn't there."

"You don't know anything," Reyna snapped. She stood and glared at Zara. All she received was a sad smile. Zara closed her eyes and hummed to herself. "You don't know about anything that I went through."

"Not the specifics," Zara replied. "But, we've seen your nightmares. Sometimes, it is hard to distinguish your nightmares from mine. I don't know how you did it, Reyna. You went through hell literally and figuratively. Yet, here you stand."

Reyna looked down at the ground and shook her head. She took a deep breath and spoke, "Trying to get into my head isn't going to work. You can't convince me to work with you."

"Why not?" Zara asked. Reyna slowly looked at her. "Why not work with us? What have the Olympians ever done for you, Reyna? They have used and used and used you. When you were at your lowest point, they called you an enemy. Kronos was inside your head, and when they learned, did they try to help you? Who had to remove Kronos from you?"

Reyna shook her head and found it hard to breath. She had done terrible things with Kronos in her head. Truthfully, it scared Reyna how she had acted. Violence was her first answer to everything, and Reyna enjoyed it. She shivered and took a deep breath. Reyna could not become that person again, but at the same time, she knew how close she was to becoming it.

"Who suffered for the Olympians? Who saved them? Didn't you storm Olympus to save Zeus?" Zara questioned. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder. Reyna tensed but didn't pull away. "You have suffered so much, and you owe nothing to the Olympians. You owe nothing to me or my group. All I can do is offer you the position. Would you not be the perfect fit?"

"I wouldn't be," Reyna muttered. She pulled away and started to pace. "End this. I'm done talking to you."

"Alright," Zara said. She raised her hands. "I will leave you alone, after I lay my offer out for you. All you have to do is nothing. Keep the Sixth Legion in Rome. Keep your sister off our trail. We will not harm your family or anyone you consider to be a friend, even Bellona will be spared. All you have to do is keep them out of the crossfire. Our only target is the twelve Olympians."

"The twelve Olympians," Reyna muttered. She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "You want to take out the twelve Olympians. What are you going to do about the immortals who will try to stop you?"

"Your mother will be locked away, until she comes around," Zara began. "The others will be handled on a case by case basis. As the new rulers of this world, we will be fair. Demigods will be protected. They will have a camp to be safe with. We won't treat them as tools. No more will a demigod be broken and left to rot. That time is over. The age of the gods is coming to an end."

"You will be our twelfth," Zara continued. She walked past Reyna and sighed tiredly. "Our lady wants to destroy the Sixth Legion. She has already made moves, but she has left us out of it. We were suppose to kill Annabeth, but we didn't. Who think you think woke you from your slumber, in time to find the prophecy?"

"Why?" Reyna asked. She looked down at the ground. It would explain why she had been able to make it to the meeting while Seva was there. If Reyna had not interrupted, what would have happened? But, it was possible that Zara wasn't telling her the truth. Zara could just be trying to get into her head.

"Our lady is going to use the twelve of us to kill the demigod leaders, and then, she will dispose of us. She wants to bring peace to this world, but her way will throw us into chaos. Our way will save this wretched world and bring it to a new age. That is why Burza allowed herself to be captured. Our lady will give us the power that we need to finally break free," Zara said.

"I thought you wouldn't disobey your patron," Reyna muttered. She didn't know why she was still listening to Zara. All she had to do was shut out the words. Reyna shook her head. "I told you that I didn't want to hear anymore."

"That's okay, Reyna. I respect your decision," Zara said. She walked towards Reyna and smiled. Zara placed a coin into Reyna's hand. "The offer is still open. Our lady will strike against you, but I do not wish you harm. When you are ready to join us, all you need to do is send an Iris message using that coin. All of us know that things will work out. All we need is faith, in you. We know that you will do the right thing."

Reyna looked down at the coin. She should have thrown the coin back at Zara or just dropped it. Instead, she gripped the coin in her hand and finally slipped it into her pocket. Zara smiled softly and turned away. The demigod walked out of the restaurant. As soon as the door behind Zara closed, time resumed.

Reyna walked back towards her table and collapsed into her seat. She stared at the table but didn't miss the way that Seva was staring at her. Reyna just stayed focused on the ground. Her mind slowly ran through everything that she had been told.

"You seem troubled," Seva commented. Reyna shook her head and buried her face back in her hands. "Is something wrong, imperator?"

"I'm fine," Reyna muttered. She took a deep breath. All she needed to do was wait for Arcadia. Reyna slowly stood and grabbed the dagger at her side. She rubbed the hilt on her dagger. It was suppose to summon Arcadia, and Reyna had only used it once before. After a few moments, nothing happened.

Reyna slowly rubbed the hilt again. It wasn't the best idea for Arcadia to just leave Olympus, but Reyna needed her second in command. She needed someone to talk to. Her mind reflected over Zara's words. It would be easy to work with the assassins.

"You don't seem fine," Seva stated. She studied Reyna for a moment. Then, the councilor looked back at her tablet. A frown came to her face, and her eyes widened. "Imperator, where is the bulk of the Sixth Legion?"

"At our base," Reyna answered. She studied Seva for a long moment. Seva quickly stood. Reyna studied the councilor in front of her. "What's going on?"

"I received a message from Anthony. He said that there was a great stirring of clans, and they are on a march to Rome," Seva said. Reyna stared at Seva. "I don't know how we just learned of this. It should have been brought to our attention when the clans started moving."

"On the way to Rome," Reyna repeated. She looked down at the ground. Reyna slowly looked back up at Seva. "To the Sixth Legion?"

"I believe so," Seva replied. Reyna closed her eyes and tried to think. For some reason, Arcadia wasn't answering her summons. The goddess had to still be stuck on Olympus, so Reyna would have to go there. It was the last place that she wanted to go. "I think it's best that I return to the Council and find out why the clans are going against our word."

"We still need to discuss what happened," Reyna stated. Seva wasn't going to get off of the hook that easily, but for now, Reyna would have to keep her priorities straight. Seva looked at her and nodded. "Send a message to me, once you figure out why the clans went against the Council. I'm going to find Arcadia."

"Of course," Seva said. She left the restaurant. Reyna slowly looked down. The first thing she was going to do was send a message to her sister. After that, she would head to Olympus and find Arcadia. Reyna had to be there for the Sixth Legion.

Reyna shook her head and slowly walked out of the restaurant. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement, and someone slammed right into her. Reyna used the momentum of her attacker to slam them straight into the ground.

Reyna placed a dagger to her attacker's throat. It took her a moment to recognize Sarah's face. The demititan stared up at her and slowly laid her head back on the ground. Reyna spoke, "What are you doing?"

"Saw you fall in hole," Sarah wheezed. Her eyes fluttered open and close. "They stayed by the hole, so I couldn't help. Heard about attack on Sixth Legion. Ryke sent a message to her brother: Sven. I air traveled a lot. I'm going to pass out now."

True to her word, Sarah's head collapsed against the ground, and her eyes closed. Reyna stared for a few moments and tried to process the words. Seva had told her that clans were on the way to Rome, but it sounded like someone had to organize it. Was it the same person that had caused Reyna to pass out? After a moment, Reyna reached into her pocket and pulled out the symbol of the cornucopia.

The cornucopia wasn't colored at all, and it didn't seem to be anything special. Reyna turned the cornucopia around and stared at the back. There was Latin on the back. It was hard to see, but when Reyna squinted, she read the words aloud, "Go in peace."

Reyna lowered the symbol. She knew those words from somewhere. It just wasn't coming back to her mind. Reyna closed her eyes. Whoever the symbol belonged to was the one who captured Annabeth. It was the same person that had brought Zara and her friends together. Reyna just couldn't make the connection.

Reyna cursed in Latin and looked down at the demititan. After a moment, she picked the Sarah up and walked towards a bench. Reyna laid the demititan on the bench and sat next to her. If air traveling was anything like shadow traveling, Sarah was going to be unconscious for a long time, but Reyna needed answers now.

Who could Reyna go to though? Arcadia was still at Olympus and wasn't answering her summons. The Sixth Legion was under siege. There was one place that Reyna could go, and it would only be a short drive, if she found a car. Camp Half-Blood wouldn't let her set foot inside their barriers though, would they?

There was also Zara. Reyna's eyes glanced back at the coin that Zara had given her. After a moment, she shook her head and looked up. There was no way she could work with the assassins, not yet at least. Reyna needed to send a message to her sister, and then, she would head to Camp Half-Blood.


	27. Sacred Words

Reyna stared at the hill in front of her. Her gaze moved to the tree on top of the hill. The Golden Fleece glinted in the sunlight, and Peleus was circled around the tree. Reyna closed her eyes and shifted slightly. Sarah was laying across her shoulders and was starting to drool a little.

Reyna still didn't know how she convinced the taxi driver to take them to Camp Half-Blood. He had taken one look at them and warned that he was going to charge double. Other than that, he was pretty pleasant. Reyna shook her head and looked at the ground. She remembered the last time that she had been at Camp Half-Blood, and it sent anger through her heart.

It took Reyna a moment to focus, and a deep breath left her. The Sixth Legion, her legion, needed her help. All she needed was Nico to shadow travel her to Rome or even to their training facility to find Tyre. The god could get her to Rome and help her, hopefully.

After taking another deep breath, Reyna started to walk up the hill. Her sister had promised to send a message to the Amazons in Greece, but there was no way they would get there in time to help. Hylla was nowhere close by to help them.

Reyna stopped at the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. She placed a hand towards it and expected an invisible force to stop her. Instead, her hand went right through. A shaky breath left Reyna. It took her a few more moments to step through the barrier.

Two eyes stared into her back. Reyna slowly turned her head and stared at Peleus. The dragon stared back at her but made no movements. Reyna slowly walked down the hill and studied the camp. The layout was mostly the same, but all of the cabins had been expanded, with more cabins being added on the outskirts. Her attention moved towards a large gathering of demigods near the Big House.

If there was a bright side, there was no one to stare at her as she walked down the hill. How would the Greek react to her? Would they even help her? Reyna's plan was to appeal to the kindness of Chiron's heart, even though the Centaur had told her that she wasn't welcome in his camp. If Chiron wouldn't help her, Reyna would just find Nico and appeal to him.

As Reyna walked towards the Big House, her attention moved down to her necklace. She placed a hand to the dog tags that belonged to her father. He had given them to her when they were both in Pluto's palace. Her father had made her promise to not turn into him. Reyna's attention moved to the coin that was hanging near the dog tags. For some reason, she couldn't seem to throw away the coin that Zara gave her.

Could Reyna really work with the assassins? The Olympians already hated her, so it wasn't like she was going to ruin her relationships anymore. But, these assassins wanted to overthrow the Olympians. Reyna couldn't work with them, could she? Those thoughts had haunted Reyna for the entire ride over, and it seemed like there was no end in sight for them.

Reyna stopped before she made it to the crowd of demigods. They were all staring at the hole in the side of the Big House. It seemed like someone had been thrown through the wall. Chiron stood in front of the chaos and was rubbing his forehead. He looked up, and his eyes met Reyna's.

"Everyone go back to your cabins. We will discuss this at dinner tonight," Chiron said. His gaze stayed focused on Reyna. She returned the stare and studied the Centaur in front of her. Chiron seemed more stressed than normal, and it looked like he had bags underneath his eyes.

The crowd of demigods turned away to head back to their cabins. Some of them glanced at Reyna and kept walking. Others seemed to recognize her and stared. No one seemed particularly concerned about the demititan that was unconscious on her shoulders. Reyna blinked a few times and stayed focused on Chiron. She finally sighed tiredly and walked towards Chiron.

"Reaper, I've been meaning to contact you," Chiron began. Reyna nodded slightly. She glanced out at Camp Half-Blood. Now that she was close to Chiron, it was hard to ask for help. Reyna looked down at the ground. "What happened?"

"I need help," Reyna whispered. She closed her eyes and couldn't force any other words out of her mouth. Reyna knew that she didn't deserve to be asking for help. Chiron would be right to send her away. All Reyna had brought to the camp was death and destruction. A hand gently grabbed her arm, and Reyna slowly opened her eyes.

"Come inside. We can discuss this and get help for the demititan," Chiron said. Reyna nodded and followed behind the Centaur. They stepped inside the Big House, and Chiron motioned to a couch. Reyna laid Sarah down and rubbed her sore shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Reyna replied. Chiron nodded and poured some nectar down Sarah's throat. The demititan groaned softly and turned on her side, using her cloak as a blanket. "Sarah said that she used too much air travel. I don't think she's hurt though."

Reyna looked at the ground and noticed a trail of blood. It led into another room, and if Reyna remembered the layout correctly, it was the same room that had the large hole in it. Chiron spoke, "Clarisse said that you helped her subdue Burza. The former praetor managed to escape."

"How?" Reyna asked quietly. Chiron walked towards the table and started to make hot chocolate. Reyna slowly sat down at the table and let out an exhausted breath. Chiron glanced at her.

"Clarisse demanded that I let her question Burza, so I told her that she could do it, as long as she left her weapons behind. I heard a crash only a few minutes later. Burza had used a blast of air to slam Clarisse through the wall and escape to the forest. Her blood trails end near the entrance of the forest. I have a few groups scouring the forest. She wouldn't be able to get far," Chiron explained.

Reyna nodded and looked down at the mug of hot chocolate that was placed in front of her. She took a small sip and tried to think of what to say. Truthfully, Reyna didn't think she would get too far. Chiron studied her and spoke, "Did you get my message from Clarisse?"

"No," Reyna replied. She closed her eyes tiredly and placed the mug down. The lack of sleep was starting to catch up to her, along with the stress of trying to save the world, again.

"I treated you unfairly," Chiron began. Reyna slowly looked at him. "I've seen many demigods go down a path similar to yours. They are shunned by the gods and friends, and that makes them bitter. They turn against their friends and become the monster that we claim they always have been. I'm sorry."

Reyna remained silent and stared at the table. Did she forgive Camp Half-Blood? On one hand, they had treated her terribly. On the other hand, Reyna's problems didn't really lie with Chiron or Camp Half-Blood in general. There was a few certain demigods who had managed to get completely under her skin and absolutely ruin her life.

"It's okay. I understand," Chiron said, as if he could read her mind. Reyna slowly looked at Chiron. "It will take time for those wounds to heal. For now, what do you need help with?"

"The Sixth Legion is under attack, and I can't get in contact with them. Arcadia is at Olympus, and she hasn't answered my summons. I just need Nico to take me to Rome. That's all I need," Reyna said. Her mind was racing. Should she tell Chiron about the assassin's offer? Could she? "One of the assassins told me about her assault. Her name is Zara."

"Zara. The name rings a bell," Chiron said. He looked down at the ground and nodded. "She was a daughter of Thanatos, but why would she be with the assassins? Zara was always peaceful, and when she was picked to go on a quest, she was hesitant. It was heartbreaking when her friends returned and told me that she had died."

"She sacrificed herself to save her friends," Reyna muttered. She looked up. "She wasn't killed though. They captured her and locked her away. Camp Half-Blood never came to save her."

"Gods above, we thought she was dead," Chiron said. He looked down. "I would have sent someone to help her, if I had known."

"She hears voices," Reyna said. Chiron looked up at her. They both made eye contact, and Reyna let her words hang in the air. Chiron finally nodded. "They broke her, Chiron. Now, she wants to bring an end to the gods."

"Why target the Sixth Legion then? Are they trying to get to you?" Chiron asked. Reyna shook her head. How much could she tell Chiron? He was smart. He would figure out that they had offered for Reyna to join them.

"We stopped the assassins," Reyna finally replied. "If we're out of the way, they have a straight shot to the demigod leaders. The demigods will be scattered without their leaders, and the gods will be vulnerable. She told me their patron wanted to wipe out all demigod life. The assassins don't want that."

"What do the assassins want?" Chiron questioned. Reyna remained silent. Chiron nodded. "They didn't tell you then?"

"No," Reyna lied. She swallowed painfully. "I just need to get to Rome. That's all I need. I won't ask for anything else."

The door opened behind them, and someone rushed into the room. Reyna tensed. No one good could have walked through the door. Most of the campers hated her or at least didn't trust her. Something dropped on the table in front of her. Reyna slowly looked at the notebook in front of her. Rachel sat next to her.

"We were wrong," Rachel said. Reyna slowly looked at the Oracle. "This entire time we thought that the prophecy was complete, but we were so wrong."

"Rachel, what did you find?" Chiron questioned. Rachel placed a piece of parchment next to the notebook. Reyna stared at the parchment. It was the same one that she had given Clarisse only a few hours ago.

"A prophecy that I found. I gave it to Clarisse, to see if you guys could make anything of it," Reyna replied. Her gaze moved to Rachel. Her eyes then moved back to the parchment and notebook.

"Wisdom, love, and war will combine. They will stop the plans of the divine," Rachel read. Reyna looked down. "The betrayals will be exposed. The wrath of the sky will be imposed."

"That's not the full prophecy," Reyna muttered. She stared down at the table and sighed tiredly. Reyna should have known the stupid prophecy wasn't complete. It had been hanging over her head for months.

"It is though. Those other two lines don't go with this prophecy," Rachel said. She picked up the old parchment. "This is copied from the Sibylline books, but it's not completely right. Ellie confirmed it. There are two prophecies that were copied onto this parchment."

"Why would they copy two prophecies? That doesn't make sense," Reyna said. She looked down at the parchment and then the notebook. Her eyes focused on the prophecy.

"The Sibylline books were sacred, right?" Rachel questioned. Reyna nodded slightly. "If someone were to sneak in to where the books were held, they would probably have gotten into serious trouble if they got busted. Whoever copied the prophecy probably read the books and wrote it down from memory. That explains why it's out of order. Ellie and I were able to put it back in order though."

"The first prophecy is finished then," another voice commented. Reyna turned quickly and stared at Percy. He returned the stare. "According to Rhea, the plans of the divine were Kronos. Your sister, Annabeth, and Piper combined to remove him. Well, that's what we thought at least."

Reyna nodded slightly. She sighed and focused her gaze on the paper. A deep sigh escaped her. Rachel spoke, "The wrath of the sky war Ouranos. The betrayals were the things that Hylla and Thalia did, right?"

Percy nodded his agreement. Reyna leaned back in the chair and spoke, "If that is the first prophecy, what is the second one? Does it mention Metis or the Arimaspi?"

"Well, you know the first two lines," Rachel began. "The curse shall be lifted. The greatest of rewards will be inflicted. I don't quite know what the curse is, but according to how much Clarisse complains, I think that the rewards refers to immortality. The immortality that was given to you, Clarisse, and Sally by the Fates."

"I only took the damn position to save my sister," Reyna muttered. After a moment, she realized that she had said the words aloud. Reyna slowly looked up and met the gazes of her peers. "Atropos told me that Hylla would die, if I didn't take the position. I didn't do it to save my own life."

"You would do anything to save your sister," Percy commented. Reyna nodded slightly. Something glinted in Percy's eyes, and he shook his head. "Where is Hylla anyway? We figured the two of you would be side by side."

"Hylla has Amazons to run," Reyna answered. Percy frowned. Reyna looked at Rachel and sighed softly. "What's the rest of the prophecy?"

"Caesar and Brutus reignite their war," Rachel read. A heavy silence filled the room, and Reyna looked down. She knew all too well that Caesar meant her. Reyna had heard plenty of time hearing about the great bloodline of her family. "I'm not sure who that line refers to."

"Annabeth and I," Reyna said. "I'm related to Caesar, and Annabeth is related to Brutus. If the two of us weren't fighting, I doubt the Arimaspi threat would have gotten so out of hand, and we would have known about the assassins long before they could have attacked the leaders."

"Amends can only be made at first battle's shore," Rachel continued. Reyna looked down at the ground. She didn't even know what the official starting point of her war with Annabeth was. "Cycle of the distinguished twelve will persist. Peace will fall as the eternal city's tyrant ceases to exist."

Reyna stared at the ground. She knew that prophecies had double meaning, but the meaning behind the words was pretty clear to her. The cycle of the twelve would continue, which meant the Olympians would fall. Everyone called Reyna a tyrant, and when she gave up her position, peace would fall.

"Eternal city?" Percy questioned. Reyna slowly looked up at him. Things were tense enough, and the prophecy wasn't going to make matters any better. "What is that?"

"Rome," Reyna muttered. Percy looked at her, and understanding seemed to dawn in his eyes. Reyna stood. "I should find Nico and go back to Rome. I have to help the Sixth Legion."

"Wait! The Fates gave you this prophecy and spoke through me," Rachel said. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder tightly. "Why give you two prophecies and mash them together? That doesn't make sense."

"I don't know," Reyna muttered. She could feel a headache forming. A deep sigh escaped her. "There was a figure that approached me. She said she influenced Fate to put a prophecy in me, so that she could trace me through the great abyss."

"That makes sense," Rachel said. Reyna gave Rachel an odd look, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Percy had the same look. "I can feel prophecies on you guys. When you know about a prophecy, it marks you. If that figure is stronger than me, she would be able to trace you, Reyna. Maybe, that's why the Fates got the prophecy weirdly."

"How would the Fates not know every prophecy?" Percy questioned. He shook his head in confusion. Reyna shared that sense of confusion. Chiron seemed like he was following alone, but he was silent. "Isn't it their job to know?"

"A prophecy is different," Rachel began. "The Fates may know the choices that someone will make, but they don't make the prophecies. They just know when things are going to happen. The only way they would know of a prophecy is if an Oracle told them."

"This figure lied to the Fates then," Chiron stated. He nodded. "The figure gave us the prophecy for the quest but also gave us pieces of the next prophecy, to trace Reyna. Why would they want to trace her?"

Reyna remained silent. She knew the answer to the question. Reyna was suppose to lead the woman to a half mortal, who would free the assassins. Gods, was this all Reyna's fault? If she had told anyone earlier, would they be in this position? Would they have even believed her?

"Peace will fall when Rome's tyrant does," Percy said. Reyna slowly looked at him. "This figure has been keeping an eye on you. It is because they want to kill you?"

"It doesn't matter," Reyna muttered. She stood. "There's only one way for me to lose my position. I don't plan on dying anytime soon, so peace will be safe. I need to go to the Sixth Legion, now."

"We'll get Nico for you," Chiron said. He placed a hand to Reyna's shoulder. "Please keep in contact with us. We must work together to assure that we save as many lives as possible. If we find Burza, we will send you a message."

Reyna nodded. She glanced over at Percy. He watched her for a very long moment. Reyna returned her gaze. Percy finally spoke, "Clarisse said that you saw Annabeth, but someone managed to escape with her. Was she hurt?"

"There was some blood on her jacket and a bag over her head. No visible injuries that I could see," Reyna replied. Percy nodded and left the Big House. Reyna looked down and took a deep breath. She needed to focus on the things she could do, which included saving the Sixth Legion.


	28. Pietas

As their feet hit solid ground, Reyna glanced at Nico and placed a shoulder to steady him. Nico smiled at her, to show he was fine. Reyna returned the nod and slowly looked around. She could tell that they were on the outskirts of Sixth Legion territory. It would only be a hour march to get to their base.

Reyna looked down at the ground. They were standing on top of a discarded bedroll. Reyna slowly looked around. A smothered camp fire was in the clearing. There was a few more bedrolls scattered about. Reyna spoke, "They made camp here but not for long."

"There is death in the air," Nico commented. He shook his head and took a deep breath. "It's really strong. I'm getting a lot of feedback from it, and I'm not even touching the ground."

"We have to get going," Reyna said. She looked down and realized just how crazy her idea was. Reyna and Nico were going to walk to the back of an invading army and hope that they ran into the Sixth Legion along the way, or they were going to have to sneak past the army to get into the base. Maybe, Reyna really was insane.

Nico nodded his agreement. He suddenly turned around and grabbed his sword. Reyna quickly turned as well and grabbed her own sword. She stared as ash on the ground slowly started to form a figure, and her sword lowered. Nico glanced at her but kept his sword pointed towards the figure of ash.

Reyna stared at the general of the damned in front of her. She had met the general once before, as the general saved her legion. Reyna didn't truly know anything about them though, other than the fact that they could possess dead bodies and use the bodies like their own soldiers.

"Who is that?" Nico asked. Reyna slowly looked at him. She didn't quite know how to explain the general in front of them. The general wasn't an enemy. Well, they hadn't proved to be one. "Reyna, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Reyna muttered. "It's a friend. The general helped us save you guys. General, what do you need?"

The general walked towards Reyna and held out a hand. After a moment, Reyna grabbed onto the hand. The general used their other hand to place two fingers to Reyna's temples, and the world around them changed.

Reyna slowly looked around and stared at the scene in front of her. She was in the middle of a large camp. Romans were making a camp all around her. One figure stood in the middle of the camp and was overseeing everything. They wore a full set of Roman armor and a helmet that covered most of their face. Reyna's attention was drawn to the edge of the camp. Two men were sitting on horses and studying the camp.

Reyna could sense their power, so she made her way towards the two men. The younger one had a clean shaven face and barely any hair on the top of his head. His helmet was at his side. The other man was at least thirty years older. His long, white hair tumbled out from underneath his helmet. His brown eyes held an alertness to him that did not suit his age.

"Your _pilus prior_ holds the respect of his men," the older man said. "Very young too. Only the age of twenty four. Yet, there is clamoring that a promotion to _primus pilus_ is on the horizon. How can someone who has come from such a lower class family be so skilled? It almost seems divine."

"My brother is very skilled," the younger man answered. He straightened on his horse. "The gods have guided him well. Why would a peacekeeper be interested in us?"

"In you, Rufus," the older man said. Rufus slowly looked at him. "We know your secret. That man before us is not your brother. In fact, it is not a man at all. That is a daughter of Bellona who has convinced your family to take her under their wing and bring glory to the family. Why can't you bring that glory, Rufus?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Rufus said. He stared straight ahead. The older man smiled slightly. Rufus slowly looked at the old man. "What is this about, Otto?"

"I understand. You love her. You understand that she is greatly skilled in battle and can bring great glory to Rome. But, is she bringing the glory correctly?" Otto asked. "This woman can fight and bring glory to Rome, for some time, or her children can spread to other fronts and bring glory everywhere."

"She desires no children," Rufus muttered. He looked down and closed his eyes. "I respect her wishes. She wants to avenge her real father. He was killed by barbarians, and we adopted her."

"Then, you adopted her into Rome. She should act like a Roman," Otto said. "It does not matter what she wants. She is hiding from her duty to continue on her great bloodline. Bellona does not mix with many mortals; therefore, her children are very skilled. Imagine this daughter of Bellona having children with you. The blood of Mars and Bellona in one legacy. Gods, they would be unstoppable, and why stop at one child?"

"I cannot force her to do this," Rufus began. He shook his head "It would destroy my family, if anyone learned that we are hiding this secret. We would be shamed once again and lose all the honor that we fought for."

"So, there is a woman who is posing as a man. She has earned her way through the ranks, but she has hid from her duty to Rome. It is a woman's duty to do two things. First, she must continue on the legacy of Rome through her children, especially if she holds great power in her bloodline. Second, she must protect the house from outside threats. She does none of these. What use is she to Rome? Why are you not in her position? You are a son of Mars," Otto stated

Rufus didn't respond, and he looked down. He spoke, "I can easily make her the woman of my house, but I cannot allow anyone to know our secret. You know that, Otto. The Senate would destroy my family."

"She cannot honor her duty by having children. If she tried to fulfill her duty, she would destroy your family. If she is ever injured, her secret would come out, and your family would face the backlash. It sounds like you need to remove the problem," Otto whispered.

"I cannot do that," Rufus said. "I love her with all my heart. That is why I follow her lead and keep her secret."

"You cannot harm her. I understand. All I ask is that your bring her to a meeting place. We will handle the problem, and Lupa will be most pleased," Otto whispered. Rufus' eyes widened, and he looked up. Otto smiled. "The mother of Rome has watched you closely. Do not disappoint her."

Reyna blinked, and the world around her changed. She stared up at the general of the damned. The general knelt by her and offered a hand. Reyna slowly took it and was pulled to her feet. Reyna spoke, "I've seen that man Otto before. Who is he?"

"Lupa's pet," the general whispered. The general motioned to Reyna's pocket. After a moment, Reyna pulled the cornucopia out of her pocket. The general of the damned slowly grabbed it, and the symbol slowly fell through the ashen hand. "Well, that was what Rufus told me, but who can trust the tales of a liar?"

The world around Reyna changed once again. She slowly looked around and saw a small cabin in front of her. There was no light around her, and the sun had set. Reyna heard a noise and turned. Two figures were riding on the horses. One was Rufus, but he had a face full of hair.

"You should be proud. Your promotion is tomorrow," Rufus said. His companion only looked at him. "You've been quiet, Horatia. What's wrong?"

"There's been whispering in the Senate, about me," Horatia answered. The voice was feminine and sounded just like the general of the damned. Her voice wasn't as full of pain though. "I do not know who to trust."

"You can trust me," Rufus said. He grabbed onto her shoulder. Horatia looked at him and sighed. Rufus stopped both of their horses and removed Horatia's helmet. He kissed her cheek gently and ran a hand down her face. "You can always trust me."

"I know," Horatia whispered. She rested her head against Rufus'. "You are the only one that I can trust. I promise that I will help you rise through the ranks. They can only hold you down for so long."

"I won't be held down much longer," Rufus said. He dismounted from his horse and helped Horatia off of her horse. "I do have to ask you. Are you sure that you do not want to have a child with me? We can find an excuse for your absence."

"The last few nights have been amazing, but I know my duty," Horatia whispered. Rufus looked down. Horatia grabbed his face. "You are like a brother to me. You are my most trusted adviser. We can worry about our future later. Let us enjoy tonight while we can. We will begin our march tomorrow."

"You're right," Rufus whispered. He pulled away and turned towards his horse. Horatia looked down and went towards the cabin in front of them. Reyna could barely make out their surroundings, as the only light came from the torches that were tied to the two horses.

Horatia opened the door and looked down. A frown came to her face, and she spoke, "There is something on the floor here. Does anyone else know about this place?"

"It's just some oil," Rufus replied. He sighed and grabbed a knife. Reyna wanted to call out a warning. Instead, she watched as Rufus stabbed Horatia in the back. Horatia gasped and tried to pull away. Rufus shoved her inside the cabin.

Rufus grabbed onto his sword and turned Horatia around. He stabbed his companion in the stomach. Horatia gasped in pain and collapsed against him. Rufus rested his head against hers.

"Why?" Horatia whispered. She tried to reach up to Rufus but only managed to grab onto the cord around his neck. Rufus stood, and the cord snapped. Horatia collapsed to the ground.

"I am keeping the peace," Rufus answered. He opened his canteen and poured it on Horatia. It looked a little too thick to be water, and Reyna's gut twisted. She could only watch as Rufus walked back towards the horse and grabbed his torch.

Horatia slowly tried to stand, but she collapsed in pain. Her eyes moved to the oil that covered the floor and then herself. Horatia tried to speak, but her attention slowly moved to her side. Rufus smiled, and he threw the torch into the cabin.

Reyna closed her eyes and turned away. The screams haunted her for too long. When Reyna found the strength to force her eyes open, the general of the damned, Horatia, was staring at her. Reyna looked down at the ground and spoke, "Why didn't you die?"

"She appeared. She offered me a new life, but I wanted death," Horatia whispered. "I considered that man to be like a brother, and he stabbed me in the back. The man that I loved more than a brother killed me, in the name of peace. He wore the same symbol as the one you found."

"So, a peacekeeper killed you," Reyna said. She looked up. "And, a symbol of a peacekeeper was found near a dried blood that had to be from Annabeth. It doesn't make sense."

Reyna stared off into the distance. From what she had been told by Arcadia, Reyna had been to the temple of the goddess of peace before. That was where she had destroyed Metis, but Reyna didn't remember any of it. There couldn't be more to the story, right?

"I know there is very powerful forces in this world, and they are on the move," Horatia said. "A peacekeeper could have been trying to save your friend, but I showed you what I know. Peacekeepers were not keepers of the peace in my time. What about now?"

"I don't know," Reyna muttered. She looked down and crossed her arms angrily. "I need a favor, general. The Sixth Legion is under attack. They are under siege with no allies immediately able to help them. I ask that you help them, and I will help you."

"You can free me from my curse?" Horatia asked. After a moment, Reyna nodded. If Zara was telling the truth, Reyna should be able to cut Horatia's string with her sword, and as far as she knew, the string was still with Clarisse. Horatia studied her a moment and finally nodded. "I will find them and help them the best I can."

"I will free you, after you help my legion. Thank you," Reyna said. She grabbed Horatia's arm and felt terrible pain. Reyna didn't pull away. She just looked into the general's eyes. "Thank you. I wish I could offer more."

"Death is enough," Horatia whispered. The ash faded away, leaving Reyna and Nico alone. Reyna slowly looked at Nico. He had been silent during the entire exchange, and his face was pale.

Reyna looked down. She couldn't help her anger. There was this simple to solve puzzle directly in front of her. Reyna had every piece that she needed, but she just couldn't solve it. Reyna took a deep breath and grabbed onto Nico. The puzzle would be solved, somehow.

"You okay?" Reyna asked her friend. He looked at her and nodded. Reyna took a deep breath and saw a blur. She blinked and turned towards the blur. A heavy weight slammed into her, knocking her to the ground.

Reyna reached for her sword but felt something wet touch her cheek. Reyna stared up at the metallic dog that was on top of her. Ruby eyes stared down at her. Reyna spoke, "Aurum?"

Aurum jumped off of her chest and sat next to her. Reyna sat up and hugged her metallic dog tightly. She didn't remember the last time that she had been with her dogs. They had been taken from her, around the time that she had incurred her mother's wrath.

Was this Bellona's way of forgiving her daughter? Was it an apology for slapping Reyna right across the face? Reyna tried to blink away her tears. She looked at Aurum and spoke, "Where's your brother? Where is Argentum?"

Aurum stood and started to walk away. When he realized this his owner wasn't following, he looked back at her and sat down. Reyna slowly stood and walked towards Aurum. He took off into a trot. Reyna glanced at Nico and spoke, "Will you be okay to walk?"

"It's a lot of death here. I don't think so," Nico admitted. Reyna looked at him. She could carry him or maybe use him to shadow travel to Argentum. Reyna turned her head towards the forest. This was her fight though. Nico wasn't apart of it. She didn't want him to get hurt.

"Go back to Camp Half-Blood," Reyna said. Nico looked at him and started to protest. Reyna raised her hand. "I know. I'm not trying to ditch you. I just want you to be safe. This is my legion and my fight."

"You don't have to fight alone, Reyna. Not anymore. I know what's going on in your head. You can't let that darkness win," Nico said. Reyna looked down. "Promise me you will message me when there is a break in the battle."

"I promise," Reyna said, and she meant it. Nico studied her for a long moment and then finally nodded. He disappeared into the shadows. Reyna turned her head and looked down at Aurum. She started to follow after him, but she suddenly stopped.

Was this a trick by her mother? Aurum had just randomly appeared. Did Bellona just want to draw Reyna away from the Sixth Legion? Was it a trap? Would the Roman goddess really use Reyna's love of her dogs against her?

Reyna closed her eyes. She felt Aurum nudge her hand with his nose. Reyna opened her eyes and rubbed her dog's head. She finally nodded and followed after him. Reyna just needed to trust that she wasn't being led wrong.


	29. Veritas Vos Liberabit

Sarah's eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up. A glance around a dark room only made her more confused. The last thing she remembered was warning Reyna and then heroically passing out. Sarah slowly looked down at herself and studied the blanket that had been laid over her.

Sarah collapsed back onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. There was no way for her to know how long she had been asleep for. It could have been a few hours or a few days. Sarah sighed and slowly stood. Her knees just about gave out on her, and she collapsed back onto the couch. Standing was not an option.

"You need to rest," a voice said. Sarah slowly turned her head and looked up at Chiron. Halfway to the Centaur's face, she saw a plate of food in his hands. Chiron sat the plate next to her. "Eat. How are you feeling?"

"I really need to stop using air travel so much," Sarah began. She took a small sip of water from her canteen and then focused on the plate. Sarah ate her food and tried to relax her aching muscles. It felt like she had been through a war. "I didn't drool, did I?"

"Not too badly," Chiron said. Sarah slowly wiped her face to try and get rid of the dried drool. Considering she had traveled from Rome to America and then a few different states in America, she was surprised that she was even awake. "When Nico overdoes it, I usually have to replant the grass. How do you feel?"

"Pretty pathetic," Sarah admitted. She focused back on the food and continued to eat. Sarah wanted to say more but couldn't. She sat the plate on the table and stared up at the ceiling. "How long was I asleep for?"

"Only about ten hours," Chiron replied. He looked like he wanted to say more, but he seemed to think to himself. Sarah slowly stretched and stood. She needed to get back to the other demititans. They would just worry about her and lecture her about disappearing again. It wasn't Sarah's fault that she needed to be alone to grieve.

The door behind them slammed open and fell off of its hinges. Sarah turned her head and watched Clarisse walk into the room. The large, always angry demigod looked madder than Sarah had ever seen. Clarisse looked at them and spoke, "Did we find Burza?"

"No," Chiron said. He walked towards Clarisse and gently grabbed her arm. Clarisse pulled her arm away. The demigod looked absolutely terrible. Her face was extremely pale, and there was a stiffness to how she moved. "You need to rest."

"I don't need to rest," Clarisse snapped. Sarah sighed and closed her eyes. Pat of her had considered just passing out back on the couch, but those two were being so loud. "There is no way that she could have escaped this camp. She's injured. I can find her."

"I'm not asking you to rest, Clarisse. You are injured badly. The only reason you are alive is because of your patron. The lightning should have killed you, and the wind destroyed most of the bones in your chest," Chiron began. He gently grabbed Clarisse's arm. "You are going to rest, for your sake."

"Chiron, I can't die; therefore, I don't need to rest. You have to stop treating me like your other campers. I know my limits," Clarisse snapped. "There are assassins running around. Why are we hiding behind our camp walls?"

"Because assassins can't get inside or are scared to," Sarah muttered. She glanced at the ceiling. There was a definite glare that was focused solely on her. Sarah slowly looked at Clarisse. "Am I wrong?"

"Stay out of this," Clarisse snapped. Sarah rolled her eyes. She was tired of the demigods. She was tired of how the demititans were pushed around. It was no wonder the assassins seemed to be everywhere. They were tired of the demigods as well. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I was talking to Reyna and passed out," Sarah replied. She looked at Chiron. "I don't know what happened in between. It doesn't matter. I'll get out the of the great Greek's way."

Sarah turned and walked out of the Big House. As she walked, she did her best to fix her cloak. Sarah could probably find enough energy to air travel to the demititan base. She would definitely pass out for another week after that. Maybe, she should write a note for the others to find, so they wouldn't worry when she just appeared and passed out.

Sarah glanced around Camp Half-Blood. It didn't make sense that she was here. Camp Half-Blood really really hated Reyna's guts, and she hated them a little more. Did Sarah just get dumped off like garbage? Was something else happening?

It could have something to do with the two figures at the hole. They had been whispering rapidly, and when Sarah had moved closer to hear what they were saying, one looked directly at her. Sarah had ran, and when she came back to the hole, Reyna was gone.

Sarah felt kind of bad for abandoning Reyna, but at the same time, what was one demititan suppose to have done against two mysterious figures that magically knew where she was? Sarah looked down and felt someone grabbed her shoulder. She tensed and waited for an inevitable punch.

"I didn't mean to grab you, but you didn't seem to hear me," a voice said. Sarah slowly turned her head and looked at Sally. The champion of Clotho smiled at her. Sarah manged to return it.

Sally was an interesting case. As far as Sarah knew, Sally was Percy's mother and had been a regular mortal, until Clotho chose her as a champion. From there, Sally spent most of her time at Camp Half-Blood training and learning her new responsibilities.

"I was lost in thought," Sarah began. She liked Sally. The mortal turned immortal wasn't an asshole like the rest of the demigods. She seemed to sense the hurt that had built inside Sarah. It was still building. Losing a soulmate made it seem like one would never be complete again, and Sarah never would. "I didn't mean to ignore you. How are you doing?"

"I need help," Sally began. She led Sarah away from most of the demigods. "I don't know how to approach Percy about this. He's been overprotective, especially with everything that has happened to Annabeth. I'm not sure who to talk to about the dreams I've been having."

"Dreams aren't my thing. The demigods would probably be more help to you," Sarah began. She glanced down at her watch. Ryke was going to lecture her for not checking in again. Mason and Blake would be worrying about her. "Besides, I need to go."

"Wait," a voice said. Sarah quickly turned around. The person who had spoken wasn't behind her. Sarah slowly looked back at Sally, who watched her in concern. "Go with the champion. Find the truth."

"Father?" Sarah questioned. She slowly looked around for the Titan, and her eyes darted towards all of the shadows. She didn't see anyone watching her. Sarah frowned and looked back at Sally. The last thing she could do was disobey Lelantos. "What are the dreams that you've been having?"

"These dreams make it seem like I am seeing the memories of someone else," Sally began. She looked at Sarah, as if worried that the demititan would call her insane. Sarah just remained silent. "They all have one place in common though: a temple that belongs to the goddess of peace."

"Eirene's temple? I've been there once before," Sarah said. She crossed her arms. "Eirene wanted to introduce the demititans to the demigods and try to get us to make an alliance. Alex and I traveled to Eirene's temple to meet with her, but I ended up getting a bad feeling and leaving."

"Eirene might be able to help me. Could you take me there?" Sally questioned. Sarah looked down and finally nodded. She could probably use air travel once more time, and then, she would pass out for the next month. Sarah slowly grabbed onto Sally's hand.

Air screamed around them, and Sarah felt the world spin. She landed on solid ground and expected to collapse and eat dirt. Strangely, she didn't feel anymore tired than before. Sarah felt that she was still holding hands with Sally, but there was a separate grip on her shoulder.

Sarah slowly turned her head and looked at her father. He winked at her and placed a small flask into her hands. As a breeze flew down the street, Lelantos disappeared. Sarah swallowed painfully and took a small drink from the flash. She almost spit it back out, but strength slowly filled her limbs.

Sarah looked up and saw that Sally was already walking into the temple. The demititan slowly followed behind her. The last thing that Sarah needed was for Sally to get hurt. All of Camp Half-Blood would hate her guts.

"What makes you think that the goddess of peace could or would help?" Sarah asked. She glanced at Sally and drank more of the concoction. It took all of her willpower to not spit it out. "Goddesses don't really help anyone, unless it suits them."

"Percy told me that Eirene was helping him and Annabeth. They wouldn't go into details. They just promised me that they were safe," Sally explained. "I hope that Eirene can tell me what happened to Annabeth or point me in the right direction. She might be able to explain my dreams."

Sarah nodded and stepped inside the main room of the temple. Her eyes widened at all of the candles inside, and her nose crinkled from the clashing smells. Sarah didn't like the feeling that the temple left her with. It was a peaceful feeling but somehow fake, like someone was trying to pull the wool over her eyes.

"I don't like this," Sarah whispered. Sally looked around the the temple and walked towards a statue of Eirene. She placed a hand to it. Sarah heard a noise to her right and saw a wall starting to open. She felt a familiar presence and grabbed onto Sally.

Sarah shoved Sally into the shadows. Sally stared at her, but Sarah quickly shook her head. Whoever the goddess saw was going to be in serious trouble, and Sarah wouldn't let Sally face that.

Sarah watched the goddess in front of her. Eris was humming softly and had her eyes closed. Golden Ichor covered her body, but it didn't seem to be her own. A bloody sword loosely dangled fom Eris' hands. The goddess stopped humming and frowned. Her eyes opened.

"Demititan," Eris greeted. Sarah backed up and grabbed her bow. She notched an arrow and glanced at Sally. The champion of Clotho met her eyes, and Sarah made the smallest motion to the closing hole in the wall. "What are you doing here?"

"The stupidest thing of my life," Sarah answered. She fired an arrow at Eris. The goddess stepped to the side and smirked. She dropped the sword to the side and cracked her knuckles. Sarah decided it was time to run. She turned, only for Eris to appear in front of her.

A fist slammed directly into Sarah's face, and she fell backwards. A hand grabbed onto her cloak and threw her across the temple. Sarah slammed into the wall and felt it crack. She collapsed to the ground and wheezed for breath. Eris grabbed her by the neck and picked her up.

"You are of the reason that my daughter died," Eris hissed. She slammed Sarah into the wall. Sarah grabbed the goddess' hand. It was getting very hard to breath, and in a few seconds, her throat would be crushed. "I will make you suffer."

"Red killed herself," Sarah wheezed. The grip on her neck disappeared, and she collapsed to her knees. A foot slammed directly into her jaw, and she felt her jaw get knocked right out of place. Sarah collapsed and gripped her jaw with both hands. Tears of pain filled her eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Eris demanded. She grabbed Sarah by the cloak and pulled her up. Out of the corner of Sarah's eyes, she saw that Sally had disappeared through the hole in the wall. "No. You lie to me. Hylla killed my daughter. That is what she told me."

Sarah couldn't respond, so she closed her eyes tightly. Hopefully, the goddess would get bored of her and just leave her alone. After a moment, Eris spoke, "This one is going to be trouble. What should we do with her?"

Sarah opened her eyes. Eris definitely wasn't talking to her, unless this was some kind of new taunting tactic. A hand grabbed onto Sarah's shoulder, but this was much gentler, almost peaceful. Sarah looked up at a second goddess. The goddess' other hand tightly grabbed her injured jaw.

"I have no quarrel with you, demititan," the goddess whispered. She pulled Sarah to her feet. "I can sense the conflict and turmoil within you. For now, you will be at peace, but soon, the truth will set you free. You will find the ultimate peace."

Sarah tried to fight, but there was nothing that she could do as two fingers were placed to her temple. Sarah's knees went weak, and she collapsed against the goddess. Soft humming filled her ears, and the world disappeared into a peaceful sleep.


	30. The Deception of Peace

This wasn't how Sally expected her day to go. She was suppose to meet the goddess of peace about her dreams and hopefully be able to make light of them, as they made no sense to Sally. All of them took place inside the same temple that she had been standing in with Sarah, but it followed different people. All of them seemed to pray at the statue, and some had conversations with their friends. Sally just didn't know how to make sense of it.

Sally knew that demigods had dreams, and most of those dreams were a warning about incoming doom or something important that was going to happen. Ever since becoming an immortal, her dreams became a lot more weird than just the embarrassing moments that happened to her throughout the years.

The whole immortal thing was pretty odd too. She knew it was coming, ever since she was four years old. An old woman had approached her in a park and told her that she would help change the world. The woman had left a small mark on her forearm, impossible for anyone but her to see. When Reyna and Athena had appeared at her doorstep, she knew the time had come.

No one seemed to want to allow her to actually be the champion of Clotho though. Percy watched her like a hawk, and when he couldn't, he had his friends help. The most that Sally was able to do was help defeat Thoon, but even then, she was flanked by plenty of guards and the Fates themselves.

Sally took a deep breath and looked around the hallway that she was in. There was doors on each side of the hallway, but most of them seemed to be closed. Sally took a few steps forward and looked around for where to go. Sarah seemed pretty freaked out by whoever had stepped through the statue, but Sally didn't recognize them.

Sally glanced back at the wall. She could step back through the wall and help the demititan. As she turned around to do just that, the wall started to open. Sally stepped into the nearest room and started to close the door. She left enough room to peek out into the hallway.

Two goddesses stepped into hallway. The crazy looking one, who had first stepped out of the wall, was carrying Sarah over her shoulder. Sarah seemed to be unconscious, but it was hard to tell if she was injured. The other goddess looked around and spoke, "How did the demititan know we were here?"

"I don't know, Eirene. Let's think about this. That damned daughter of Jupiter was at Camp Half-Blood, and they weren't just kindly asking her questions," the crazy looking goddess replied. Sally frowned and looked at the other goddess: Eirene. This had to be one big misunderstanding.

"I gave Burza her string, so she wouldn't tell them anything," Eirene snapped. Sally let go of the door and stared at the two goddesses. All plans to step out and tell them that there was a big misunderstanding disappeared. "This one was always a loner. When she wakes, you're going to get answers out of her."

"What about Arcadia? She's tougher than I thought she would be," the crazy looking goddess said. Eirene took a deep breath and turned towards the other goddess. "I just need a few more hours with her. Let those cuts heal and then reopen them."

"Eris, you have wasted too much time. You told me it would only take a few hours," Eirene snapped. She took a deep breath. "We are running out of time. My peacekeeper in Rome is making her final steps to close the trap on the Sixth Legion. Work on the demititan and see how she knows about us. Understood?"

"Understood," Eris said. She stormed down the hallway. Eirene closed her eyes and sighed. She finally turned and walked back through the hole in the wall. Sally waited for the hallway to be clear, and she waited a few moments. Then, Sally stepped into the hallway and tried to find where to go.

It sounded like Eirene wasn't actually working with them. Did she have something to do with Annabeth disappearing and with Percy being tortured? Sally clenched her fist. If the two goddesses had done anything to hurt her son or Annabeth, she would tear them apart. Her eyes moved around the hallway, and she saw a couple of droplet of gold blood on the ground.

Sally glanced at the blood and noticed that it went into a room not far from the entrance. After a moment, Sally stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She stared at the scene in front of her. Someone was hanging from their arms and covered in Golden Ichor. Cuts covered their entire body.

"Back for more?" the woman asked. She wheezed and coughed miserably. "You can just end it now. I'm not telling you anything about the Sixth Legion."

Through the Golden Ichor, Sally recognized the goddess in front of her: Arcadia. Sally slowly grabbed her sword and cut through the chains that held the goddess up. Arcadia collapsed in a heap but quickly turned on her back.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Sally began. She held out a hand out for Arcadia. The goddess slowly took her hand. Sally pulled Arcadia to her feet, but the goddess collapsed. Sally barely managed to catch her.

"Cut the chains around my wrist," Arcadia wheezed. Sally sat the goddess down on the ground and slowly cut the chains that kept Arcadia's wrist trapped. "How did you find me?"

"I've been having dreams, and I thought Eirene would be able to help me. She's been working with Percy and Annabeth, but I think she's been using them," Sally answered. She studied the goddess in front of her. Arcadia's body was covered in cuts and stab wounds, with the worst being from her leg and stomach.

"I need to message the imperator and warn her," Arcadia whispered. She tried to stand but hissed in pain. Sally steadied her shoulders. "Let go of me."

"Even though you're a goddess, you need to rest," Sally said. She gently grabbed Arcadia's arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. Sally helped Arcadia stand and slowly helped her walk towards the door. After glancing into the empty hallway, she saw no one was watching them.

Sally practically carried Arcadia towards the wall. She felt along the wall, and after a couple of seconds, the wall moved beneath her fingers and opened up. Sally led Arcadia out of the temple and tried to calm her thoughts. She needed to get Arcadia to safety.

From there, Sally would have to head back and rescue Sarah. Or, should she contact Camp Half-Blood? Percy had shown her how to send Iris messages and made sure that she had a coin on her at all times. Could she drag Percy into this, or should she just tell Chiron? Would they be able to send help?

As they stepped outside, Arcadia pulled away and stumbled. She started to glow, but after only a moment, she stopped glowing and collapsed to her hands and knees. Arcadia gripped her injured leg and spoke, "I need to get to Rome."

"Not in your condition," Sally whispered. She knelt by Arcadia. "I know that you want to help, but you need to heal. You're seriously hurt."

"They are going to attack the Sixth Legion. I must warn them," Arcadia hissed. She tried to stand, only to hit the ground in anger. Arcadia slowly sat on the ground and gripped her leg. Sally gently grabbed her arm. "We need to get out of here."

"We will," Sally said. She pulled Arcadia to her feet and led her down the street. As they moved further away from the temple, Arcadia seemed to slowly grow stronger. She was still hurting though. Sally turned the corner with Arcadia and found a bench. She sat the goddess down and sat by her.

Arcadia hissed in pain and closed her eyes. She spoke, "What are these dreams that you have been having? The imperator has been having dreams as well."

"The dreams take place at the temple of Eirene. All of these demigods walk inside and pledge their loyalty, but it seems like they all come from different time periods," Sally began. Arcadia nodded. Sally was just glad that no one seemed to look at her like she was crazy. "I don't know what any of it means."

"Have you heard of the assassins that targeted the leaders?" Arcadia asked. Sally nodded slightly. She knew that the Sixth Legion helped prevent the assassinations, but she had been mostly kept out of the loop. "I think Eirene has a large hand in the assassins. I need to send a message to the imperator."

Sally looked around. There was nothing in sight that they could use to send an Iris message. Sally heard a noise behind them, and she turned around. She found herself face to face with a cloaked figure. Sally would have thought it was Sarah, but this person was much taller.

"Champion," the man greeted. His gaze moved down the road that they came from. "Where is my daughter? Is she safe?

"I don't know," Sally admitted. She looked back as well and could barely see the temple in the distance. "I was going to go back for her, after I helped Arcadia. Eirene told Eris to find out how Sarah knew they were working together."

"Eirene and Eris are working together?" the man asked. He sighed tiredly. "This is not good. We must get Arcadia to safety, so she can get back to Rome and help her legion. Sarah is crafty and will have to fend for herself. We must send word of this to Camp Half-Blood."

"They won't believe us," Arcadia wheezed. She rested her head against the bench and cursed in pain. Sally almost scolded the goddess for her use of foul language. "They never believe the Sixth Legion."

"That is why the champion must tell them," the figure said. Sally slowly looked at him. "I can get you to Camp Half-Blood and take Arcadia to get help. You must warn them that Eirene is working with Eris; therefore, Eirene is working with the assassins."

Sally slowly nodded. She didn't quite know how to approach Percy or anyone else at Camp Half-Blood about this. They would be more worried with that fact that she had disappeared. A growl echoed down the street, and Sally slowly turned her head. She stared at the large wolf that had decided to join the party.

"Lupa?" Arcadia asked. She tried to stand but only ended up cursing again. Sally shot her a scathing look. It didn't matter if Arcadia was a goddess. It didn't excuse the use of foul language. The goddess looked at Sally and rolled her eyes.

"I will take Sally to Camp Half-Blood and then Camp Jupiter," Lupa growled. Sally slowly looked at the wolf goddess in front of her. Of course, she knew about Lupa. It was the same goddess that had dragged Percy to the wolf house and trained him in the ways of Rome. Why was Lupa going to take her to Camp Jupiter though?

"Reyna has been keeping me informed about all that has happened," Lupa continued. Her gaze focused on Arcadia. "You need to heal and return to the Sixth Legion. My wolves have sensed treachery. Lelantos, you need to listen close to your spies. Something is coming, and I know that Burza is part of it. Champion, we must go now."

"The imperator has been keeping in contact with you?" Arcadia asked. Lupa nodded once and placed a large paw to Sally's shoulder. Sally glanced at the immortals around her. They didn't even know her, but they were trying to help her. Why?

"Arcadia, I think Annabeth is in trouble. Can you please keep an eye out for her?" Sally asked. Arcadia slowly looked at her. After a few, long moments, the goddess nodded. "Thank you."

Sally felt the world around them disappear. She blinked and found herself out of Camp Half-Blood. Lupa walked towards the hill but stopped at the barrier. The wolf goddess laid in front of the barrier and spoke, "I cannot pass through. You must bring Chiron here."

"I will," Sally promised. She slowly stepped through the barrier and walked down the hall. Sally knew that something big was in the air. From everything that Sally had heard, Lupa didn't go to Camp Half-Blood. Lupa stayed in her own business. What drew the wolf goddess out of her lair?

Sally stopped walking and looked up at the sky. She was worried that no one would believe her. Percy would be too concerned with the fact that she could have gotten hurt. Sally slowly looked down and continued to walk. Something important and huge was going down. Sally just hoped they were ready for it.


	31. Quis Hic Locus

Hylla stared down at the papers in front of her. She was completely exhausted from the past day, as it was spent doing all kinds of paperwork and inspections that came with being queen of the Amazons. She couldn't sleep though. Her little sister had sent her a message saying that she was going to Camp Half-Blood and that the Sixth Legion was under attack.

It just killed Hylla that she couldn't do anything to help. There wasn't a large enough force of her Amazons anywhere near Rome to help the Sixth Legion. No one in the Amazons had the powers of shadow travel, and any message sent to Sarah had either been ignored or not received. Hylla sighed and rested her head in her hands. Her hope lied with the Amazons in Greece.

"Have you packed a bag?" Kinzie whispered. Hylla slowly looked at her and frowned. Kinzie placed a hand to her shoulder and rubbed it gently. Hylla found herself relaxing. "We can be at the airport soon and on a plane to New York. It's not the best idea, but we need to get to your sister."

"We can message Nico too. As far as I know, Reyna's still pretty tight with him. He might be able to use shadow travel," Hylla said. She slowly stood and let out a deep sigh. "Reyna will probably use him to get to Rome though. Could we get tickets there?"

"It would be a longer flight, and we don't know where the Sixth Legion base is," Kinzie said. She frowned and sat on Hylla's desk. "Wasn't there another god that was involved with the Sixth Legion? I thought I heard Arcadia talking about some golden boy."

"Yeah. Reyna told me about him," Hylla said. She looked back down at the paperwork. "He trains all of the recruits to the Sixth Legion. They have a vigorous training process that lasts a couple of years, and then, they have their final test. If they pass, they get a faceplate and a new name."

"If they fail?" Kinzie asked. Hylla shrugged. While Reyna didn't confirm it, something told Hylla that the only reason a demigod would fail the test was if they died or were horribly maimed. Reyna was still sparse about details, like she couldn't trust her own sister.

How could she though? Hylla had betrayed her sister during the quest for the shield. Under Circe's charmspeak, Hylla had tortured her little sister, and the charmspeak was no excuse for it. Then, Reyna had saved Hylla's life multiple times during the past year. The only thing Hylla had really done was tear Reyna's soul in half and drive her little sister further into the darkness.

"Hey, we'll figure something out," Kinzie promised. Hylla looked up. "We always do. I'll see if I can send a message to Arcadia. She might be done at Olympus."

"Why would she ignore Reyna's summons though? Arcadia is suppose to listen and do everything that Reyna says. It doesn't make sense that she would just ignore it," Hylla muttered. "Unless, the Olympians have something to with it. Reyna did say our mother is there. Bellona might be stopping her."

They both heard a knock on the door. Hylla glanced up at the door. After a moment, she spoke, "Come in."

Alkaia, one of the older Amazons, walked into the room and nodded. She walked towards Hylla and held out an envelope. Alkaia spoke, "This was dropped off by an eagle, my queen. We think it came from Rome."

Hylla slowly took the envelope. She nodded her thanks, and Alkaia stepped out of the room. Hylla slowly peeled open the envelope and pulled out the piece of papers that were folded up inside. There was three different pieces of paper, and dried blood stained each page.

Hylla slowly placed the papers on the table and examined them. The first paper that she noticed was a family tree, and her heart jumped. She recognized the family tree. Hylla had seen it before, when she grabbed the book that belonged to the wolf clan. It had showed her a memory from the eyes of the leader of the wolf clan, and he had been tracing the same family tree.

The bottom of the paper was stained in blood, making it impossible to read. The second paper held a small map, and upon looking at it, Hylla didn't recognize it. The map seemed to be either of a base or temple. Blood, of course, had dried right over the name of the map. Hylla's eyes moved to the last page: a letter.

"The Council grows restless," Hylla read. She glanced up at her wife but then focused back on the letter. "They have killed my youngest, in an attempt to demoralize my clan and I. It made me realize that it is time to take out the tyrants of Europe. The Sixth Legion holds a duty to protect Rome, and to protect Rome, we must unite and take out the Council. We hold high regard with many clans, and the Council will fall under my might. If you are truly the Caesar of legend, you will know that now is the time to strike and end the tyrants."

"Does it say who it is signed by?" Kinzie asked. She rested her head on Hylla's shoulder and seemed to be reading the letter. Hylla's eyes moved to the bottom of the letter. The name was half covered in blood, but from the context of the letter, the leader of the wolf clan had sent it. Hylla's vision had showed the leader vowing revenge for the loss of his youngest.

"It doesn't say, but I think it was written by the leader of the wolf clan. Who would send it to us?" Hylla questioned. She looked up at Kinzie and received a smile. Hylla managed a smile. "This is from the same book that Camp Jupiter was suppose to give to the Council. They gave it to Reyna."

"I doubt your sister did this," Kinzie said. "So, it was either someone in the Sixth Legion or a member of the Council. It doesn't make sense though. What do you think?"

"I don't know," Hylla admitted. She placed a hand to the page that held the map. The world around her instantly changed. Hylla was no longer in her office. Now, she was in a small room surrounded by five other people. Hylla looked down at herself and realized that she wasn't in another person's body this time. She was just in the room watching everything.

"Sir, we lost the second wall. We're running out of food and time," one of the men said. He was practically hunched over and wheezing. His helmet covered his face, and he wore armor that showed no skin, other than his right forearm. The tattoo of a wolf's stood out. In fact, everyone in the right room had their right forearm uncovered, so it was easy to see the tattoo.

"You told us that the Sixth Legion would have our back, but they only sent a few soldiers. Where are the rest of them?" another demanded. He went into a coughing fit a moment later. "They have poisoned our air! We are being choked out, and no one is coming. Gerald, what do you expect us to do?"

"The rest of the Sixth Legion is on the way. They will help us," a third man, Gerald, said. He was taller than anyone else, and Hylla recognized the voice. It was the leader of the wolf clan. "Everyone go and relax. I will discuss our next steps with Felix. The two of you need to see the doctor. I can't have my two best generals out of action. Go."

The two men that had spoken glanced at each other. After a moment, they nodded and walked out the room. A third armored figure, presumably Felix, watched them leave. Gerald sighed and looked at the last person in the room.

"Seva, why don't you go and see if you can talk to the Sixth Legion. We have to find out where the rest of them are," Gerald said. Seva slowly turned her head and nodded. She wasn't wearing her helmet, but she was almost unrecognizable. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and there was no piercing on her face.

"It will be done, father. Will we be able to survive though?" Seva asked. Her voice was full of fear and doubt. Gerald smiled and grabbed her shoulder.

"You know the prophecy. Europe is forever under our control, until only one of us remains," Gerald said. Seva nodded. "You also know that I can only die by my child's hand, and I know that you would never betray me."

Hylla didn't miss the way that Felix looked up and studied them. The helmet still covered Felix's face. Seva nodded and spoke, "I would never, father. I will go find the members of the Sixth Legion and see how far the others are."

Seva left the room, leaving Gerald alone with Felix. Gerald took a deep breath and spoke, "You've been unusually quiet, Felix. Did something happen to you on your patrol? Is our situation more dire than I believe?"

Felix didn't respond and stayed focused on the ground. Gerald frowned and walked towards Felix. Hylla watched the of them and slowly looked around the room. Something told her that death was coming, but she couldn't see anyone else that was watching from the room.

"Do you still hold doubts of our mission? Are you still angry about your wife? Is that why you do not speak. Felix, look at me," Gerald ordered. Felix slowly looked up. "What did you do to Felix?"

The tip of a sword appeared out of Gerald's back. Gerald stumbled backwards and stared down at the sword that was buried in his chest. He spoke, "You can't kill me, assassin."

"Only your daughters can," the voice whispered. Gerald's eyes widened, and he looked at the assassin. A knife slammed into his forehead a moment later, and Gerald collapsed. "It was always going to end this way, father."

The door behind the assassin opened. Seva walked into the room and opened her mouth. She stared at the scene in front of her. Seva slowly looked at the assassin and spoke, "Felix?"

"I'm sorry," the assassin said. They walked towards Gerald and pulled the sword from his chest. Seva stared and moved to her father's side. She cradled his body and stared at the blood that poured from his wounds. "Felix did not suffer. Our father didn't either."

"Our father?" Seva whispered. She slowly looked up at the assassin. Her right hand wrapped around the knife that was buried in her father's neck, but the assassin didn't seem to notice. "Carina?"

A plethora of emotions seemed to run through Seva's eyes, and Hylla could feel every emotion like it was a punch to the gut. It went from confusion to anger to sadness and then fury. Seva yelled in anger and lunged up at the assassin.

The assassin dodged the dagger and stabbed Seva in the stomach. Seva collapsed against the assassin and wheezed. Seva spoke, "We thought you were dead."

"Father left me for dead," the assassin whispered. "I barely survived. What did he tell you? That we were ambushed, and he heroically tried to save me? No. I told father that I wasn't going to be under his control anymore. I don't want to be a part of this damn clan anymore! He beat me worse than he ever has before, and he didn't stop until two other pulled him off. This clan, this world, is not one that I know anymore. I can tolerate it no longer."

"Carina, you're alive," Seva whispered. She reached her hand up to touch the assassin's face. Seva swallowed painfully and coughed out blood. "Gods, I thought you died."

"Carina is dead. She and any loyalty to the wolf clan died that day," the assassin said. After a deep breath, the assassin started to stand. Seva suddenly threw a dagger directly into the assassin's shoulder. Seva slowly got to her knees and rammed her shoulder into the assassin. They both tumbled into a table, knocking a book over.

Hylla watched the book fall into the pool of blood beneath Gerald. The two sisters fell next to it a moment later. Seva pinned the assassin to the ground and started to punch her, despite the helmet that covered the assassins face. Seva didn't stop until her knuckles were a bloody mess.

"We gave you everything!" Seva yelled. She grabbed Gerald's fallen dagger and stabbed downwards. The assassin caught the blade and tried to force it away. "You were my sister! How could you betray me?"

Instead of responding, the assassin threw Seva to the side. The assassin rolled to her knees and started to stand. Seva grabbed a fallen sword from the ground and stabbed the assassin in the side. Seva collapsed to the ground and slowly reached a bloody hand out towards the bloody book.

The assassin stumbled to her knees and spat blood out. She tried to stand, only to collapse a moment later. The assassin rolled onto her back and didn't move after that. Hylla slowly looked around the room. It seemed like the fall of the wolf clan hadn't been as grand as the stories. Was this how Hylla and her sister would be in the future?

"Shit," a voice said. Hylla looked up and saw someone at the door. They were wearing armor that marked them as a member of the Sixth Legion. Blood covered their armor, but Hylla would recognize that accent anywhere. Sparta knelt by the assassin. "Hey, you need to hold on. I am not taking casualties on my first mission. Got it, Aquitaine?"

The world around Hylla titled, and she was back in her office. Hylla took a deep breath and looked up at Kinzie. It took her a few moments to blink away the world that she had been in. Kinzie looked at her in concern.

Hylla slowly stood and started to pace around. She knew the prophecy about the wolf clan and Rome, and it seemed like Rome was still under control of the wolf clan. Seva was sharing that control though, with the other members of the Council. Why did she seem so friendly with the Sixth Legion though? Was it all an act, or had Seva forgiven her sister? If that had happened to Hylla, would she be able to forgive Reyna?

"What happened?" Kinzie asked. She gently grabbed Hylla's shoulder. Hylla looked at her wife. "You look pale, and you were zoned out for a few minutes."

"I saw the fall of the wolf clan," Hylla began. "Aquitaine betrayed the wolf clan and killed her father. She then tried to kill Seva. I don't know how Seva survived her wounds, but Sparta found Aquitaine in time to help her. If what I saw is true, why would Seva be working with the Sixth Legion? Is Aquitaine going to betray my sister too?"

Hylla studied the book. In her gut, she knew that only two people could have sent her the pages. Was it Aquitaine or Seva that was trying to warn her, and which one was going to betray her little sister? Hylla took a deep breath. She need to warn Reyna.

"Our next move is up to you," Kinzie said. She gently rubbed Hylla's shoulder. Hylla looked down at the ground and tried to think. The queen of the Amazons stood. The first thing she needed to do was get in contact with her little sister and tell her about the dream. From there, they would plan their next step.

The door behind them opened, without a knock. Hylla bit back her growl. The last Amazon to not knock on her door left with a broken arm, and with the mood that Hylla was in, whoever just walked in would be lucky to leave with just that. Hylla turned around and frowned.

"We need to talk," Bellona said. Hylla glared and crossed her arms. She didn't need her mother to bother her. Bellona looked at Kinzie and motioned to the door behind her. "Alone."

"No," Hylla said. She stared her mother down. "Reyna told me that you slapped her across the face, twice. She told me what you said to her. Why do you pretend to care about us? Just leave us alone. We can handle anything that is thrown at us."

"Hylla, we need to talk alone," Bellona repeated. Kinzie grabbed Hylla's shoulder gentle and gave her a look. After a moment, Kinzie walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. Hylla looked up at her mother and clenched her fist. What stupid thing was Bellona going to say now?

"I don't care," Hylla finally snapped. She stood and walked towards her mother. "I am so tired of you pushing us around. You treat Reyna and I like we are nothing. What could you possibly want from me or her? Just leave us alone!"

"Jupiter wants to punish your sister terribly," Bellona said. Hylla rolled her eyes. She already knew that. The Olympians always wanted to punish her little sister, despite the fact that her little sister had saved the world. "I am going to take the punishment for her."

Hylla blinked in confusion and slowly looked up at her mother. Bellona watched her for a long moment and nodded. The goddess of war spoke, "I do not know what he has planned for me, but I cannot allow Reyna to face it. She has to save this world one more time, and you have to save her. Keep your sister grounded. Keep her from the darkness. Please."

"What are you talking about?" Hylla interrupted. Bellona didn't respond and turned away. Hylla grabbed her mother. "What do you mean you're going to take the punishment for Reyna?"

"Jupiter wants Reyna's head. Instead, he can have mine," Bellona said. Hylla stared at her mother. After a moment, she shook her head. "You have to promise me that you will protect Reyna."

"We're not going to let Jupiter punish you," Hylla said. She gripped her mother's arm. "You're a terrible mother and just a terrible person in general, but you're family. Reyna would never forgive herself, if you took the punishment for her. I'm not going to allow you to do it. Instead, you can help me get to Reyna. Then, we can figure this thing out, together."

Hylla watched her mother silently. Bellona stared at her and seemed to think over the words. Bellona finally sighed and closed her eyes. She spoke, "Where is your sister?"

"Reyna told me the Sixth Legion is under siege. She went back to their base, but I don't know where it is," Hylla replied. She looked up at her mother. Bellona seemed to be lost in thought. "Do you?"

"No. Tyre would be able to help us though," Bellona said. She nodded to herself. "Get some armor and your weapons. We are heading to the training facility for the Sixth Legion. From there, we're going to find Reyna."


	32. Written by the Victor

"We can't keep this up," Reyna said softly. She stared down at the map of their current area. It was drawn by hand but extremely detailed. The Sixth Legion had tried to smash straight through the army, only to hit a brick wall of reinforcements. It was like the army that they were against knew their plan. Reyna sighed and closed her eyes.

They were only alive because of the general of the damned. Every barbarian or member of the Sixth Legion that fell added to the Horatia's army, and since they were close to where she had died, her powers were extremely strong. How long would it last though? The barbarians learned soon enough to decapitate the dead, whether they were friend or foe.

Reyna heard footsteps and opened her eyes. Aquitaine and Bristol were walking towards her, but they were also in the middle of an argument. If they weren't fighting the barbarians, those two were fighting each other. Aquitaine stopped walking and spoke, "We cannot stay here. We must keep moving."

"Sven isn't going to get here in time to help us with a retreat. We can hold out here, but we have to start making fortifications," Bristol said. Reyna looked down and studied the map more. She finally closed the notebook and stared at the ground.

"We need to keep moving. If we stop moving, we are dead," Aquitaine snapped. "Why don't you get that through your thick head? Everyone here thinks we have a way out. We have to act like we do. Barricading ourselves will destroy morale."

"When we barricade ourselves, the barbarians will be demoralized as they lose more and more troops. It will bolster our confidence," Bristol said. Reyna glanced up at them and slowly stood. All she wanted to do was eat and find somewhere to sleep. They all needed to sleep, but that would lead them vulnerable to attack.

"Enough," Reyna said. She didn't raise her voice, but both of her centurions stopped talking. Reyna looked at them. "You two need to stop fighting, now. We cannot be divided. They cannot see you arguing."

"Sorry, imperator. It's been a long day," Bristol said. He bowed his head. Aquitaine looked down as well and muttered her own apology. Reyna watched the two of them, and she took a deep breath. "What is the plan, imperator?"

"We stay here," Reyna replied. She closed her eyes. "A Roman does not turn their back to the enemy. We will hold out until Sven is here. The general will help us as well. How long will it take to make a camp?"

"Imperator, they are going to starve us out and exhaust us," Aquitaine said. Reyna looked up and nodded. Aquitaine was right. They had enough food to last them longer than a week, if they rationed it. That didn't help with the fact that the barbarians were breathing down their neck and barely gave them a moment of peace. This was the first time they had stopped fighting.

"Then, we move and hope to meet Sven," Reyna muttered. She slowly stood. Bristol shook his head and crossed his arms. Reyna looked down. She didn't know what to do, and it didn't really matter. Whatever she decided on would only lead to death.

"I don't know what to do, okay. I have no fucking clue!" Reyna snapped. She looked at her two centurions. "I didn't ask to lead an army. I didn't ask to be thrown into all of these wars! Everything that I have done leads to death! I can't let any of you die, because I made the wrong choice!"

"Reyna, calm down," Aquitaine said. She grabbed Reyna's arm gently. Bristol placed a hand to Reyna's other shoulder and squeezed it gently. "It is unfair of us to put this upon you. Caesar had centuries of war experience, and you've only have a few years."

"We'll figure this out together, just take a deep breath," Bristol continued. Reyna nodded and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down. Why couldn't she control herself? Why was she having all of these outbursts?

Reyna opened her eyes and looked at Aquitaine. The negotiator's eyes were narrowed, and she motioned with her head. Reyna turned around and stared at the white flag that was out in the distance. Reyna slowly walked towards the edge of her legion, keeping an eye on the flag.

Two figures were walking towards them. One held a white flag and no weapons. His armor was completely white and made him stand out. Another man, a barbarian, trailed behind him. Reyna watched them and kept one hand to her sword. She could sense that Aquitaine and Bristol were flanking her. Reyna spoke, "What do you want?"

"Imperator, I am a representative of the Council," the figure with the white flag said. He bowed to her. "The Council has asked that I intervene in this fight, as these clans have not sought approval from the Council. Will you gather with us to discuss terms of peace?"

Reyna remained silent for a moment. She felt Aquitaine move closer to her. Aquitaine spoke quietly, "If we refuse, the Council will see that as an insult and may not help us with this fight. We can end all of this before it truly begins, as the clans went against Council rule."

"Unless the Council planned this and just wants to pry you away," Bristol whispered back. Reyna glanced at her two centurions. "It is your call, imperator."

"Seva already returned to the Council?" Reyna questioned. She didn't think that Seva would have been able to catch a flight so quickly and get back to the rest of the Council, in time to send a representative. Seva could have sent a message to the rest of the Council though.

"I just follow the orders of the Council. I know nothing more," the representative answered. Reyna frowned. "There will be a ceasefire, while you are away. The Council asks that you bring your negotiator with you."

"We'll go," Reyna decided. She looked back at Aquitaine, who nodded. Reyna looked back at the representative. "Since there will be a ceasefire, we will make camp a few miles behind us."

"Of course," the representative said. He looked back at the barbarian. "Tell your men to back off and wait for further word from the Council. You are in enough trouble as is."

The barbarian glared but nodded. He turned towards Reyna and spat at her. The barbarian turned and stalked away. The representative of the Council rubbed his forehead and sighed tiredly. He spoke, "I cannot stand these savages. Their leadership is already waiting. Come."

"Bristol, I need you to do me a favor," Reyna whispered. She moved closer to Bristol. "Get the legion out of here and to Sven. I don't care if we are under a ceasefire. We're not getting trapped again. Once you're out of Rome, it will be harder for Horatia to help. Stay safe."

Bristol nodded once and turned away. He started snapping orders in Latin. Reyna turned towards the representative of the Council and followed after him. Aquitaine followed behind her. They walked through the trees and towards three horses.

The representative of the Council slowly climbed onto one of the horses. He glanced at them and waited. Reyna walked towards one of the horses and slowly pulled herself up. A glance to her right showed that Aquitaine was standing the third horse. Aquitaine glanced at Reyna and climbed up onto the horse.

"What kind of punishment will the barbarians face?" Reyna asked. She kept one hand near her sword and prompted her horse forward. Reyna followed behind the representative. Aquitaine kept her horse right behind Reyna's.

"I don't know," the man replied. He glanced back at them. "Something like this hadn't happened in a long time, but I don't imagine it will be pretty. The Council doesn't like to be disobey, and Councilor Seva seemed to be in a particularly foul mood."

Reyna nodded slightly and looked down at her horse. She closed her eyes for a few moments and tried to get rid of her exhaustion. Reyna needed to keep her mind sharp and focused on the meeting with the Council. She was just glad that Aquitaine was there to help her.

The rest of the ride was in silence. Reyna was staring down at her horse and struggling to stay awake. She was sure that she had drifted asleep multiple times, only for the horse to jolt and wake her up. The representative of the Council didn't even look back at them.

As the representative of the Council came to a stop, he looked at the building in front of them. Reyna looked up as well. She knew that they were no longer inside Sixth Legion territory, but she wasn't quite sure whose border they had crossed over

Reyna slowly climbed off of the horse and looked at the dingy temple in front of them. It was falling apart and covered in moss and leaves. There was no telling who it belonged to. The representative of the Council spoke, "They are waiting inside for you. This is as far as I am allowed to go."

"Thank you," Reyna began. She started to walk towards the entrance of the temple. Aquitaine followed right behind her. Reyna glanced back at her centurion. "Is this normal?"

"Going against Council rule isn't normal," Aquitaine replied. She moved closer to Reyna. "Even when the Sixth Legion is outnumbered, no one has dared to fight us, until the assassin came around. I'm worried that they are connected to this."

Reyna frowned. She remembered Zara's words that the Sixth Legion would be spared. Was she by lied to again? Why did Reyna bother to trust anyone? She sighed and pushed open the door of the temple. Upon walking inside, she looked around the room.

There was a large, circular table in the room. Chairs surrounded the table, and bright lights shone throughout the large room. The walls of the room were covered in moss and something that looked like it was blood. Reyna slowly looked around. There seemed to be no one else in the room. The door behind them slammed shut.

"Do you remember this room, Aquitaine? We had so much fun here," a voice said. Reyna turned around and stared at the woman that melted out of the shadows. Aquitaine remained silent but visibly tensed. Reyna glared at Nikaia. The former member of the Sixth Legion walked towards them, causally swinging her flail like a pendulum. "It also marks the place where I am going to make you pay for betraying me."

"I lied to Caesar to save you. What happened to you was your fault," Aquitaine said. She stepped in front of Reyna. "Caesar is dead, and the grudge that you had with him should die as well."

"This is not a grudge," Nikaia snapped. She walked towards them. "I was almost killed, because of you! Because of the stupid legion. Today, we all pay for our mistakes."

Reyna heard the scraping of metal. She turned already swinging her sword. She caught an attack on her blade and shoved her attacker away. Aquitaine stabbed them in the throat and motioned to the left. Reyna turned and disarmed another one of her attackers. She finished them with a quick flick of her wrist.

Everything was going fine, until Reyna turned and came face to face with Nikaia. The exile swung her flail upwards, and it almost hit Reyna right in the face. She backed away and saw movement behind her. The imperator turned and stabbed the barbarian in the neck.

Before Reyna could pull her sword out of the barbarians throat, the flail slammed into her hand. Reyna lost the grip on her sword and felt most of the bones in her hand break. She cursed and backed away. Reyna gripped her hand and tried to move her fingers. She had spent months healing from a cut that left her barely able to make a fist. Now, the same hand was injured once again.

Reyna barely raised her shield in time to block the flail. She stumbled backward and dodged an attack from behind. Reyna turned and threw her shield into the throat of a barbarian. She then slammed into Nikaia, and the two tumbled to the ground.

Reyna rolled to her knees and went to stand. A foot stopped directly onto her injured hand. Reyna hissed in pain and looked up at the person that had her pinned. A hand grabbed her throat, and the foot only dug into her hand more.

"Eris, be gentle," Nikaia teased. Reyna stared up at the goddess that wouldn't let go of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Aquitaine decapitate another barbarian and turned towards them. The centurion watched them for any movements, but as Eris twisted her heel on Reyna's hand and caused her to cry out in pain, Aquitaine dropped the sword.

"Tell your little centurion to put her hands behind her back," Eris ordered. Reyna glared up at the goddess. After a moment, she met Aquitaine's eyes. She knew that Aquitaine would do whatever she was told, but there was no need for Aquitaine to throw her life away.

"Leave Aquitaine out of this," Reyna hissed. She winced as the grip on her throat tightened. Reyna was barely able to breath. "She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"Carina has everything to do with this," another voice said. Reyna slowly turned her head and stared. Seva walked towards them and glanced down at Reyna. "This is all because of Carina."

Reyna frowned in confusion. The only time that she had heard Aquitaine's real name was when Venus had been talking about Aquitaine. How did Seva know it? Seva walked towards Reyna and knelt by her.

"Tell her to put her hands behind her back, or Nikaia is going to splatter the walls with your blood," Seva said. Reyna didn't respond. She hissed, and Eris picked her up by the neck.

"Wait," Aquitaine said. She held her hands up and then slowly put them behind her back. "Seva, this is between you and me. Please leave the imperator alone. She has no clue about any of this. I won't let her get hurt for my mistake."

"Mistake? What you did was not a mistake," Seva snapped. She walked towards Aquitaine. "Stabbing your sister in the back isn't a mistake! Murdering your father isn't a mistake! Destroying the protectors of Rome is not a mistake! Those things that you did are not called mistakes. They are called betrayals!"

"You're just like father," Aquitaine said. Seva glared and grabbed onto Aquitaine's arm. She tore off the armor that covered Aquitaine's forearm, and then, she tore the sleeve off of her wrist. Reyna stared at the wolf head that was on her centurion's arm.

"You destroyed my life, and you think I would just forgive you?" Seva demanded. She shoved Aquitaine backwards. "I never forgave you, Carina."

"Leave the imperator out of this," Aquitaine repeated. Seva shook her head and took a few steps backwards. Reyna watched the two and tried to struggle with Eris. The goddess looked at her and rolled her eyes. The grip tightened a little more.

Seva walked back towards Reyna and and knelt by her. She grabbed onto Reyna's right arm and removed her armor. Reyna slowly looked down at her forearm. A golden tattoo of a sword cross with a torch stood out. Below that was five golden tally marks. Seva stared down at the tattoo and slowly traced it.

"You are not the protector of Rome," Seva hissed. She grabbed a dagger from her belt and placed it to Reyna's forearm. Reyna tried to fight, but Eris held her in place. Seva tapped the dagger against Reyna's tattoo. "You do not deserve this. My clan was the real protectors. We were the ones who kept the peace. This is the mark of a false prophet."

Seva stabbed the dagger into Reyna's forearm. Reyna hissed in pain and tried to move her arm. She winced as Seva removed the dagger and examined the blood on it. Eris slammed her face first into the ground, and a foot slammed back onto her injured hand. Reyna yelled in pain and tried to get her breathing under control.

After a few moments, Reyna was able to open her eyes. Seva no longed seemed interested in her. She was walking back towards Aquitaine, who was staring in shock. Nikaia was holding a dagger to Aquitaine's throat. After a moment, Nikaia lowered the dagger and stepped away.

"Two. That's all you get," Seva said. Her eyes moved towards Nikaia. The exile smirked. Without warning, Nikaia suddenly slammed her flail directly into Aquitaine's faceplate. Reyna looked away before the flail could make contact, but she still heard the crushing of metal.

"I've always wondered how much damage that would do to your stupid little faceplate," Nikaia spat. Reyna hissed as Eris forced her to look at Aquitaine. The centurion was on her knees and had both hands to her face. Blood started trickling down her arms.

"Leave her alone," Reyna snapped. She felt Eris step away, and she quickly got to her knees. Reyna cradled her hand and looked up at Seva. "We trusted you. Why would you betray us?"

"Trust is not a valued currency in Rome. Power is the only thing that matters, and I am going to get back the power that the Sixth Legion stole from me," Seva said. She nodded to Nikaia. The exile slowly circled around Aquitaine and hummed softly. After a moment, she slammed the flail directly into Aquitaine's back. Aquitaine collapsed to the ground and let out a muffled cry of pain. "Traitors always pay, imperator. Remember that."

Reyna glared down at the ground. It wasn't surprising that she had been betrayed by Seva. Reyna didn't know why she bothered to trust anyone. Betrayal met her everywhere that she turned. Eris spoke, "This is cute and all, but we have a schedule to keep. You can destroy the Sixth Legion?"

"Before that, you should give me one more hit," Nikaia said. She looked down at Aquitaine. "That little bitch deserves a lot more. Just one more hit."

"You will have plenty of time to do whatever you want, once I'm done," Seva said. She knelt by Aquitaine. "Dear sister, you are going to tell me everything about your precious legion, or I will make you tell me."

"Nikaia, the imperator is fair game," Eris said. Reyna glared and slowly got to her feet. She was going to meet her fate while she was standing. Nikaia walked towards Reyna and lifted the flail.

"I did all of my research on you," Nikaia whispered. Reyna glared at her. "You had a pretty bad knee injury, but I think that might be too easy. There's also the history of broken ribs, or I could break your left hand, so it matches the other one. What do you think?"

Reyna didn't respond. She just glared at Nikaia. Something told her that Eris would intervene if she tried anything. Nikaia circled around Reyna, and after a long moment, she lifted the flail and swung it. Reyna closed her eyes and waited for the impact. When nothing happened, she slowly opened her eyes. Nikaia laughed at her.

"I don't have to do anything to you. Eris is going to tear your apart," Nikaia said. Reyna glared. The exile looked at Eris. "Our agreement is still intact, correct? Sparta is all mine?"

"As soon as we take the base," Eris said. Reyna glared at the two and slowly looked at Aquitaine. Her centurion wasn't stirring. Each breath that she made seemed to come out as a wheeze. Reyna looked away and focused on Seva.

"The rest of the Council is in on this then?" Reyna questioned. She glared at Seva. "You acted like we were allies, only to betray us."

"How little you know," Seva whispered. She looked down at Aquitaine and knelt her sister. "History is always written by the victor, isn't it? And, you thought that you were the victor. You thought you could just work with those fools and destroy Rome's savior."

"I didn't remake the Council," Seva continued. She looked up at Reyna. "I am the Council. I killed the fools who worked with the Sixth Legion to murder my family. The other four councilors are just figureheads, but their loyalty is to me. Rome and Europe are mine. She is going to bring my father back, and when she does, we will rule together. The Sixth Legion will not stop that."

Reyna didn't respond. She felt Eris pull her backwards and grip her shoulder tightly. Eris spoke, "Your second in command may have slipped through my fingers, but you will not. In fact, the two of us are going to have plenty of fun times, imperator. I'll take you outside for a little walk. It's going to be the last of the sky that you see for a very long time."


	33. The Way the World Ends

It was not suppose to be this way. Their patron wasn't suppose to move this quickly. She should have still been distracted with the Olympians and Camp Half-Blood. How did she even manage to convince Reyna to meet? Reyna was suppose to go back to her legion, lead them to victory, and then force Eirene to retreat back to her temple.

It seemed like Eirene didn't trust them anymore. Eirene didn't trust her faithful champions to do the job that they were destined for. Why did she want to destroy all of the demigods suddenly? The goddess was the one who first put forth the idea of replacing the Olympians, and after centuries of putting that idea forth to her peacekeepers, she suddenly decided that all demigods had to die?

Who changed her mind? Who was ruining centuries of planning? Did they understand what was at stake? Without demigods, the world was going to fall. Monsters or ancient evils would take over the world, since there was no demigods to save any of the immortals. The problem with the world was the Olympians. They had to be replaced, with new blood.

"Zara," a voice said. Zara blinked and snapped out of her thoughts. She slowly looked at the person who had caught her attention. Dominic, a son of Ares, looked her over. "Burza's back and bleeding pretty badly. We were taking bets on how many times she would have died, if she could. What's the official tally?"

"It doesn't work that way," Zara said. Dominic smiled at her and laughed. They were joined by a third peacekeeper. Pia, a daughter of Apollo, studied them. Pia had blood covering her hands and looked tired. "How did it go?"

"The negotiator will live," Pia reported. She looked down at the blood on her hands. "That barbarian is a monster. Why do we have to work for her?"

"It won't be for long. We're just waiting for someone to prove herself," Dominic said. His gaze turned towards Zara. "Just kill someone from Camp Half-Blood. That will prove that you aren't loyal to them anymore."

"Sooner or later, our lady will realize that my only loyalty is to our mission," Zara said. She closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. "It's only ever been to the mission. Did the so called Council take the negotiator away?"

"After I was done," Pia replied. "It wasn't part of the plan. Why is Eirene diverting from our plan? It wasn't suppose to go down this way. She has another peacekeeper that she did not tell us about."

"We move our timeline up then," Dominic said. He looked at them and then nodded to himself. "I'm going to find Burza and talk to her. I'll get with the others. We good with this?"

Zara slowly looked at Pia. The daughter of Apollo nodded. Zara spoke, "I think we're good. I will try to speak to Reyna and see where her head is. We might have to proceed without her."

"She'll be pretty gracious, if we rescue her," Dominic commented. Before anyone could respond, footsteps echoed down the hallway. Dominic glanced behind him and sneered. He walked straight into Zara, using his shoulder to push her out of the way. "Get out of the way. Important demigod walking through!"

Pia rolled her eyes and walked backwards. She turned and moved the opposite way of Dominic. Zara simply rubbed her shoulder and watched Dominic turn the corner. The sounds of footsteps were only getting louder. Zara turned and found herself face to face with Eris.

"Come on," Eris ordered. Zara nodded and followed after the goddess. Eris walked towards a corner of the room and picked up a baseball bat. She swung it around a few times and smirked. A frown came to Zara's face. "You're going to help me with the Reaper."

Zara didn't reply. She only nodded and tried to wipe the frown from her face. Violence wasn't really her thing. Eris smiled brightly and led Zara down the hallway. The goddess stopped her outside a door and spoke, "Go inside first and wake her up. I'm going to practice my swing."

"Yes, my lady," Zara said. She walked into the room and kept her gaze on the ground. Zara closed the door behind her and slowly looked up. Reyna was in the middle of the room, and her arms were tied above her head. Blood was trickling from her wrist, where she presumably had tried to escape the ropes. An open wound on her forearm was still trickling blood as well.

Reyna blinked a few times and slowly looked up at Zara. Her gaze then moved towards the ground, and she tried to shift. Reyna looked up at her arms and hissed in pain. It seemed like the ropes were cutting into her wrists worse. Zara walked towards her.

"I'm sorry this happened to you," Zara began. Reyna slowly looked at her, and her eyes narrowed into a glare. Zara looked down. "Eris is upset at you, and she's going to hurt you. I will do what I can to protect you."

"You can give up the act," Reyna said. She shifted and winced in pain. Zara remained silent and studied the demigod in front of her. Zara sighed and gently grabbed onto Reyna's jaw. "Get your hands off me."

"This wasn't our plan," Zara said. She quickly lowered her hand. All she wanted was for Reyna to understand that she was in the presence of friends. Zara and the other peacekeepers would never hurt Reyna willingly. "My lady won't give me my string, yet. She thinks I am loyal to Camp Half-Blood, so she won't give it to me."

The door started to open, and Zara quickly stepped away. She stood against the wall and stared ahead. Eris walked into the room and marched straight towards Reyna. The goddess grabbed the demigod's jaw tightly.

"I've been waiting for this," Eris said. Reyna glared and didn't respond. The goddess visibly tightened her grip. "I've been asking Eirene to take a shot at you, ever since your sister killed my daughter. Do you know what I'm going to do to her? The last minutes of her life will be spent in complete and utter agony. Then, I'm going to kill that little wife of hers."

Reyna kicked Eris, but it didn't seem to do anything. The goddess smirked and seemed amused. Zara looked down. That was exactly what Eris wanted. She wanted a demigod to attack her, so she could attack the demigod, without repercussions. Eris was always smart about getting around ancient rules.

"You're a coward," Reyna snapped. She kicked Eris again, and a small laugh escaped the goddess. Eris lowered her hand and suddenly slapped Reyna hard. "You can do whatever you want to me. I will find a way to destroy you."

"Do you say this to everyone, or am I just special?" Eris questioned. Reyna glared at her. "Oh, I am so scared of the great Reaper, who almost died to three pathetic Amazons. You also caused the deaths of how many Romans? Not to mention the part where you allowed Kronos to use you as a vessel, and you pretty much tore apart the alliances that would have kept Eirene from wiping out the demigod leaders."

"You couldn't even destroy Metis. I had to do it for you," Eris taunted. Reyna stared at her. The goddess tilted her head and smiled. "Don't you remember? Metis had stabbed you with your own sword and was repeating some curse or blessing or whatever stupid little thing that the Titan liked to say. I decapitated her and saved you. Honestly, you should thank me."

"You destroyed Metis," Reyna whispered. She looked down. Zara frowned. It wasn't fair that Eris was going to taunt Reyna and then break a few bones. It was exactly what they had done to her. Zara closed her eyes tightly. "Why save me?"

"Eirene's orders," Eris replied. Zara forced her eyes open, and she looked at the two of them. Eris lifted the baseball bat. "Now, I've been seeing a lot of these action movies, and I really just want to try this out."

Eris studied the baseball bat, as if trying to find out what end to hold. Her eyes moved towards Zara. After a moment, Zara motioned towards the right end. Eris smiled and gripped the baseball bat. She spoke, "I've been holding it wrong the entire time. Why didn't they tell me?"

Eris turned and slammed the baseball bat into Reyna's side. It snapped on contact, and Reyna yelled in pain. She wheezed painfully a few moments later and spat blood up. Reyna tried to catch her breath, and she struggled with the ropes.

"That felt good," Eris said. She smirked and grabbed Reyna's jaw. Reyna spat more blood up, along with some Golden Ichor. "You don't deserve this gift. You don't deserve anything they gave you."

Reyna tried to speak, but the wheezes only became worse. She spat more blood out. This time right in Eris' face. The goddess slowly wiped her face and took a step back. Eris smirked and punched Reyna right across the face.

"Your sister killed my daughter," Eris hissed. She grabbed Reyna's jaw tightly. "Eirene showed me my daughter's last moments. Your sister tortured her, and now, you're going to pay the price."

Zara closed her eyes and tried to ignore the sounds. It brought her back to the same time that she was tortured. They had done terrible things to her. Zara heard the sound of something breaking and another cry of pain. The memories in her head threatened to come back a little stronger.

"What is this?" Eris sneered. Zara slowly opened her eyes. Eris was holding onto the necklace around Reyna's neck. There seemed to be dogtags hanging on the end, along with the coin that Zara had given her. "This is cute. Did it belong to your father?"

Eris snapped the chain and threw the necklace across the room. It nearly hit Zara, and she almost flinched. Eris spoke, "Why do you even hold onto that? Is it a reminder of how pathetic you are? Do you remember all of your failures?"

Eris remained silent, as she waited for an answer. Reyna didn't give one. She just stared at the ground. Eris sighed and grabbed onto Reyna's jaw. The goddess spoke, "I'm going to find another baseball bat and break it across your spine. This is just the beginning, imperator. I am going to break your body and spirit, and no one is going to save you."

Zara watched Eris leave the room. When the door closed, she slowly walked towards the fallen necklace. Zara picked up the dog tags and the coin. Reyna had kept the coin. That was the most important thing. Reyna spoke, "Just release me."

"I can't," Zara began. She looked up at Reyna, but Reyna wasn't even looking at her. Zara frowned and followed the gaze of her fellow demigod. Reyna was staring at a wall in the room, but it seemed like she was looking at someone.

"I'm tired of fighting, Atropos. I'm so tired," Reyna whispered. Zara stared at the demigod in front of her. This couldn't be happening. They needed Reyna. They needed their thirteenth demigod. "I don't care anymore. Please just let me die."

"No," Zara interrupted. She stepped in front of Reyna and gently grabbed her face. Reyna slowly looked at her. "You can't die. Reyna, you have to help us save this world. My lady is going to destroy it. That is why we gave you the prophecy. Please. I promise things will get better."

"I was the same way," Zara continued. Reyna's eyes slowly moved to the side, but then, her gaze focused back on Zara. "They tortured me, until I lost my sanity. I begged and prayed for someone to kill me, and they only laughed at me. They wanted to hear me beg. Then, I was saved."

"I can't anymore," Reyna muttered. She looked down, and tears appeared in her eyes. "I can't take this anymore. I won't. Atropos is going to free me, and I am going to die. Zara, I cannot do this anymore. No one knows I'm here. No one is going to save me."

"We are going to save you," Zara whispered. Reyna looked at her. "I know the chaos in your head. I was there, but my friends pulled me back. We can pull you back from the brink."

"I'm not talking to the voices," Reyna snapped. She looked past Zara. After a moment, Zara glanced behind her. She knew that Atropos was in the room, but the Fate couldn't see her, not without her string. "Atropos. Please."

Zara looked down. There was no saving the demigod in front of her. Zara spoke, "I'll make sure your sister and her wife survive this war. We'll try to avoid hurting your mother too, but I cannot speak for my lady. I appreciate everything you've done, Reyna. Thank you."

Zara looked up at the demigod in front of her. Reyna was staring at the ground. She closed her eyes. After a few moments, Reyna opened her eyes. There almost seemed to be a new look of conviction in her eyes. Only a few moments ago, Reyna was ready to die. What had Zara said to change her mind?

"I'm not sure," Reyna whispered. Her eyes moved away from Zara. After a few moments, she nodded. "Yes, Atropos. I hear you loud and clear. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

Reyna sighed and closed her eyes. She looked down. Zara gently grabbed Reyna's face. She spoke, "Are you okay? Please breath. What was that?"

"Only Atropos can free me," Reyna whispered. She took a deep breath and went into a coughing fit. Her face paled. "Gods. I'm so tired of fighting, but I have to, for my sister."

Zara heard the door open. She quickly stepped away and watched Eris walk into the room. The goddess hummed softly and circled around Reyna. As Eris walked, her gaze seemed to focused on Zara. There was a small smirk on her face.

"You mortals don't really need your kidneys, do you?" Eris asked. Zara closed her eyes and heard the sound of the bat hitting skin. Reyna yelled in pain. Zara closed her eyes tighter. The screams were starting to take her back, and she couldn't go back. She would never go back there.

Zara heard the bat snap, and Reyna yelled in pain. Zara tried to block out the sounds, but the yells only got louder. If she listened close enough to the cries of pain, she could hear her own. Eris laughed, and that was the snapping point for Zara.

Zara hurried out of the room and rushed down the hallway. She made it into the restroom and stepped inside. Zara splashed water in her face and tried to stop the panic attack that was building. She was back there. Back in the room. Back in the past. Back to being tortured.

Panic hit her chest like a train. Zara collapsed against the sink and wheezed for breath. Why couldn't she breath? Why did it feel like the walls were closing in? Two hands grabbed her arms. Zara yelled and tried to kick out at her attacker. They weren't ever going to take her again. She would kill them first.

"Remember the water park?" a voice asked. Zara recognized the voice and tried to focus on it. "Burza was upset that everyone was showing so much skin. Beleza was flirting with everyone in sight and had five men waving prom fronds over her, as another put lotion on her. Theo looked like he was in heaven."

"Then, we all tried going out to dinner. I don't think they ever fixed the restaurant," another voice said. Two arms wrapped around Zara. She rested her head against their chest. This wasn't the same people that hurt her. These were her friends.

Zara took a few deep breaths. The torture was in her past. They couldn't hurt her anymore. The peacekeepers had torn them apart, and they would do the same to anyone who tried to hurt them. Zara let out a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes.

"Then, Burza and Beleza had their fight," a third voice added. They gently rubbed Zara's back. Zara took a few, deep breaths, and the bathroom came back into focus. "Beleza kept flirting with Burza, and you could just see how flustered Burza was getting. Why can't she just admit that she has a crush?"

"Burza would never admit anything," Zara whispered. The weight slowly lifted off her chest. A small smile came to her face. "I think that would actually kill her."

Zara slowly looked up at the person that was hugging her. Beleza smiled slightly and helped Zara stand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Hilk was standing at the door. He had been the first one to speak. Theo was still behind her and gently rubbing her back.

"What set it off?" Theo questioned. His voice was gentle. Theo had been the most protective of her. Considering he had died protecting those he called family, Zara shouldn't have been surprised.

"Eris and her love of violence," Zara whispered. She rested her head against Theo's chest. "I couldn't stand to hear the noises. It just brought me back to that time, and I had to get away."

"Eris won't be happy that you left," Beleza commented. She smiled at Zara. "We'll figure it out though. Dominic said that we're moving the timeline up."

"We have to," Zara whispered. She took a deep breath and looked up at Theo. "I have to go back in there. Reyna doesn't trust me, but no one should have to suffer in that way. If we can't convince Reyna to work with us, we'll just drop her off with her sister. Do we have it?"

"I do," Beleza replied. She flashed the string. "We know what we have to do. The hard part is going to be slipping out without Eirene noticing, but I think that Burza will have that handled. We'll get everything we need and meet at the specified place."

"Between Camp Half-Blood and now, Burza is going to be out of commission for a minimal of a week. We need that twelfth, or we need to buy time. Our parents are going to come crashing down soon," Hilk commented.

"We'll worry about that later," Theo said. He looked at Zara. "You gotta go back in there and do whatever Eris says. We're almost in the clear."

"I know," Zara whispered. She took a deep breath and followed Beleza out of the bathroom. Beleza smiled at her and gently grabbed her arm. "Thank you for bringing me back. I don't want to go to that place again."

"You won't," Beleza promised. They stopped outside the room. Beleza went to knock on the door, but it was suddenly opened. Eris looked at them and smiled. The goddess was enjoying everything too much.

"You ran out at the best part," Eris said. She grabbed Zara's shoulder, and it took all of Zara's willpower to not flinch. "I need your help with my next phase. Can't you make people hear the whispers of the dead? Or, do you need your string for that?"

"I can try," Zara began. She felt her breath leave her throat. There plan was really going to happen. They were going to be free of Eirene and Eris. They would be able to save the world. "It may take some time."

Eris shook her head and spoke, "We don't have much time. I still need to pry answers from Arcadia. I haven't been able to see her, since I was busy with the demititan and then the Reaper. Eirene is breathing down my neck waiting for them to talk, and she wants me to punish Burza for her failures. Here is what we will do. I will get your string. When I am done with Burza, I expect you to be done with Reyna."

"Of course," Zara said. She watched Eris hurry down the hall. A hand gently grabbed her arm, and Zara looked at her friend. Beleza was frowning. "Hey, Burza is going to be fine. She'll be back to nagging you in no time."

"Burza is hurt badly, and Eirene isn't happy with her. You know what they do to us for failure," Beleza whispered. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Get Reyna out of here. I'll make sure that everyone gets the message that we are leaving. Meet back at our base."

Zara nodded and watched Beleza walk away. She looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Things were coming to a head. Their destinies were so close, and all they had to do was complete the job that they were born for. Zara closed her eyes. Soon, the Olympians would fall, and the world would be saved.


	34. For Want of a Nail

"What could be more important than us?" Hylla demanded. She stared at the receptionist of the hotel. He only stared at the wall in front of him. If it wasn't for the fact that a small fan blew pieces of the man's black hair into his face, Hylla would think that the receptionist was some kind of machine. The only thing he had really done was tell them to take a seat and then kept staring at the damned wall.

Apparently, Tyre was in an important meeting. Hylla was tempted to just shove into the door at the far corner of the room. Even though the receptionist and his counter was between Hylla and the door, she would be able to shove past him. There was no way that Tyre could be mad either. The imperator was Hylla's sister after all.

Hylla glanced at her mother. Bellona was slowly looked around the small room that they were in. She seemed disappointed. Hylla agreed with the statement. When she thought of a training facility for a secret legion of Romans, a terrible hotel was not the first thing that she thought of. The building was only five stories tall and didn't seem to have that many rooms. There wasn't even an elevator.

"Is anyone in there?" Hylla repeated. She waved her hand in front of the man. He blinked once, looked at her, and then looked to his right. He grabbed a radio and turned it up. Hylla glared. There was no way that she would allow her voice to be drowned out by the classics of the nineties. "Hey! I need to speak to Tyre. It's about the imperator. The Sixth Legion is in trouble."

"Take a seat," the receptionist said. He turned the radio up even louder and just stared ahead. Hylla barely resisted the urge to hop the counter. Instead, she turned towards her mother. Bellona glanced at the chairs that were resting against the wall.

"Mortal, we need to speak to Tyre. This regards the Sixth Legion and my daughter: your imperator," Bellona said. She walked towards the counter and slammed her fist into the radio. The music died instantly. The receptionist looked down at his crushed radio and then at Bellona. "Am I understood?"

The receptionist looked at his watch and nodded. He turned and walked towards the door. Hylla almost sighed in relief. She watched the man stop at a small, black box near the door. He typed into it, and the door opened. A woman walked into the room, and the man stepped through the door.

The woman typed into the black box and nodded to herself. She then walked towards the counter and looked at them. Her eyes moved from the broken radio to Bellona's eyes. The woman spoke, "Take a seat."

"That's it," Hylla snapped. She reached across the desk and grabbed the receptionist by the shirt. Hylla pulled the woman close and got right into her face. "We know that the Sixth Legion trains here. We know that Tyre is here training possible recruits. We need to talk to him."

"Could I interest you in taking a seat?" the receptionist asked. Hylla opened her mouth and finally shoved the woman away. She started to pace back and forth. Would it be possible to grab onto the receptionist and throw her through the door? Hylla could also just rip the door off of its hinges, but she needed Tyre to work with them.

"Fine," Hylla snapped. She threw her arms up and walked towards a chair. Hylla sat in it and glared at the receptionist. "Are you happy now? Isn't this what you wanted? I'm in the stupid chair. Where is Tyre?"

The receptionist looked at Bellona. The goddess looked at Hylla and shook her head. Hylla glared at her mother and spoke, "Get in the chair."

"I am not getting into any chair," Bellona said. She crossed her arms. "I am not going to be degraded or demeaned by sitting in a chair."

"Mother, get in the chair," Hylla hissed. Bellona glared at her. Hylla glared back. After a few minutes of glaring, Bellona finally sat in the chair, but she didn't try to stop her grumbling. Hylla rolled her eyes but felt something slam into her chest.

Hylla's eyes stared down at the metal bar that had wrapped around her chest. She felt two more bars wrap around her wrists, pinning them to the arms of the chair. Hylla felt the chair fall backwards, and darkness consumed the world.

Hylla couldn't see anything, but she could tell that she was upside down. The only thing keeping her from falling from the chair was the metal bars. Hylla looked to her right and could barely make out that Bellona was in the same predicament, but the metal bars that trapped the goddess seemed to be made of something that she couldn't break easily.

A trickling noise started a few moments later. Hylla frowned and slowly looked around. She tried to blink away the darkness, but her eyes weren't adjusting. Hylla struggled in the restraints and tried to find a way out of her situation. Her belt didn't seem to be enhancing her strength.

"This isn't how you greet your guests!" Hylla yelled. She struggled with the restraints and tried to move her arms from the metal bars. "We just want to talk to Tyre!"

Silence greeted Hylla, and she continued to struggled with the restraints. The trickling noise got louder and more consistent. It was when something wet his Hylla's hair that she realized water was filling the room. She struggled in the restraints, but it was no use.

"Any ideas?" Hylla snapped. She looked towards her mother. Bellona was struggling with the restraints as well but had made no progress. Hylla glared at the darkness. She felt the water rising more and more, until it was close to covering her eyes. There was no way for her to escape. She was going to die in the middle of some insane tourist death trap.

The trickling suddenly stopped, and harsh light flooded the room. Hylla blinked rapidly and tried not to move her head too much. If she did, water would splash into her eyes. A man walked towards them. His blonde hair was cropped, and he watched them with hazel eyes.

"What do you two want?" the man questioned. He knelt by them and studied them. Hylla wanted nothing more than to spit in his face. Instead, she had to keep her calm.

"I need to speak to Tyre. It is about the imperator and the Sixth Legion being in trouble," Hylla hissed. "As you can see, there is a very angry goddess on my right, who does not appreciate being trapped to a chair. Could you kindly let us go?"

Before Hylla could react, the restraints released, and she crashed into the water. She breathed in surprise and instantly choked on the water. Hylla sat up coughing out blood. For a few, undignified moments, she struggled to breath. Bellona pulled her to her feet and spoke, "Tyre, why do you play games?"

"We do this for all visitors," the man answered. He walked towards the door. After a moment, Bellona followed, and Hylla trailed after them. "If they think of joining the legion, they must escape, before the water takes their life. If they intend to harm us, we make them pay for their mistakes. Visitors looking for the imperator are not the norm. Find my sister."

"We can't," Bellona said. Tyre slowly looked at her. "I took Arcadia to Olympus, but Arcadia has disappeared. We do not know where she went. You need to take us to the Sixth Legion's base. They are under siege."

"I do not know where their base is," Tyre said. He waited for the water to drain out of the room, and he stepped outside. Hylla followed and stared at the football field sized room in front of them. Multiple people were sparring. Others were running laps. A few were doing exercises. Tyre led them towards a far corner and through a door.

They walked down a hallway past multiple rooms. Some were classrooms that had older, armored figures teaching. A few were forges. There was a large cafeteria that was being cleaned by someone with a small paintbrush. Hylla caught sight of a few rooms with a single demigod inside just staring at a wall.

Tyre led them down the end of the hall and into an office. Hylla stepped into the room and stared at the wall directly in front of them. It was a map of Europe, but there was writing all over it. Tyre motioned to the table, and Hylla looked towards a small map of Italy that hung to her right. There was clear lines that had writing over it. Her eyes moved around to the forests, and she saw an area marked for the Sixth Legion.

"I know their borders, but I do not know the exact location of their base," Tyre said. He looked down. "You said they were under attack. Is this true?"

"That's what my sister, the imperator, told me," Hylla said. She stared at the map and at all of the tribes that surrounded the Sixth Legion. She really hoped that Seva was working with Reyna. Hopefully, Seva could get the tribes to back off. "We haven't been able to contact her or Arcadia."

"My sister would not abandon the legion," Tyre said. He crossed his arms. "I can take you to their borders, but if there is an army, they will intercept you. It doesn't matter if you have a goddess at your side."

"We have to do something," Hylla snapped. She looked up and crossed her arms. "I need to help my sister. I can't let her fight against a legion of armies alone. There has to be something that you can do to help me."

Tyre looked down at the map. He finally sighed and nodded. Tyre spoke, "There is one thing that we can do, but it is not something that I offer lightly. If you want to find the Sixth Legion, you must walk the path of Rome, alone. You will find their base, or you will perish along the way."

"No," Bellona interrupted. She stepped between them. "This is insane. My daughter and I will go to their boundary line. We can handle anything that the army may try to throw at us. Does the Sixth Legion have any allies nearby?"

"The Council is suppose to be the allies of the Sixth Legion," Tyre replied. Hylla stared down at the map and focused on the borders of the Sixth Legion. After memorizing the map, she looked up. "They do have Germanic friends, but I believe they are too far to be of immediate assistance."

"I'll do it," Hylla said. Tyre looked at her in surprise. Bellona started to protest, but Hylla raised a hand. "I haven't done nearly enough for my sister. I've doubted her and haven't believed her when she needed me most. Reyna needs help now, and I am going to find her. What do I have to do?"

Bellona looked down and shook her head. Tyre studied Hylla for a long moment, and he nodded. He walked towards the door, only for it to slam open and almost hit him in the face. Hylla looked up surprise.

"Sister?" Tyre questioned. Hylla stared at the goddess in front of her. Arcadia was covered in cuts and Golden Ichor. Her shoulders were visibly shaking. Bellona walked towards Arcadia and grabbed her shoulder tightly. "What happened?"

"Eirene and Eris are working together," Arcadia wheezed. She collapsed, and Bellona caught her. Tyre took a step forward and stared. Arcadia looked at Hylla. "Eirene escorted me from Olympus. I believed that I could help her, only to be attacked. Eris tried to extract information about the Sixth Legion, but the champion of Clotho helped me escaped."

"You claim that Eirene, the goddess of peace, attacked you and is working with Eris?" Bellona questioned. She didn't seem too convinced. Arcadia nodded and pulled away. She hobbled towards a chair and collapsed into it. "Why?"

"I don't know," Arcadia admitted. She hissed in pain and pressed both hands to her stomach. Tyre seemed to snap out of his shock, and he moved to his sister's side. Arcadia looked up at Bellona. "Eirene said she was going to Camp Half-Blood, to keep her meeting. They may be in danger. The imperator is in danger as well. She stayed behind to wait for me, but she was nowhere near where we were suppose to meet."

"Reyna told me that the Sixth Legion was under attack and that she was headed to Rome," Hylla said. Arcadia nodded and quickly stood. Her leg gave out, and she collapsed to a knee. Tyre caught her and sat her back in the chair. Arcadia hissed painfully and closed her eyes.

"I need to get to Rome and find the Sixth Legion. I cannot waste anymore time," Arcadia began. She yelled as Bellona grabbed her knee and pressed in on her leg wound. Bellona stood and stared to pace. "What was that for!"

"Only one sword can wound an immortal like that, and Lord Jupiter gave it to Eirene," Bellona said. She looked down. "Eirene wouldn't have done this. Are you sure in what you saw?"

"You can ask Lelantos, the champion of Clotho, or Lupa. They all know the truth," Arcadia hissed. Her hand grabbed her leg again. "I must go to Rome."

"Eirene couldn't have done this," Bellona repeated. Hylla looked at her mother and rolled her eyes. Why couldn't Bellona just believe them for once? She was always against them and never believing them. "Arcadia, are you sure in what you saw?"

"Considering she grabbed my face and threatened to send me to Tartarus, I think I know what happened," Arcadia snapped. She placed both hands against her stomach and cursed in pain. Hylla studied Arcadia quietly. This was the first time that she had seen an immortal wounded this badly.

Bellona started to pace. She stared and looked at the ground. After a few moments, Bellona looked up, and Hylla could have sworn she saw a tear in the goddess' eyes. Bellona spoke, "I'm sorry, Hylla. I am so sorry. I only wanted to protect you and your sister."

"What are you talking about?" Hylla asked. It was weird enough that Bellona was apologizing. Why was she freaking out suddenly? How was she showing an emotion other than anger or disappointment? "You look like you're going to drop a bombshell."

"Eirene has your string," Bellona said. Hylla looked up at her mother and blinked a few times. String? What was Bellona talking about? "I was just trying to protect you and Reyna. I didn't think this would happen."

"Wait," Hylla said. She held up both of her hands. "I'm not well versed in this whole string thing, but the Fates control the strings, right? I'm sure they don't just hand them out, so how did you get my string?"

Bellona looked at the ground and spoke, "When you fell under Circe's charmspeak, I knew it would only end in death, so I spoke with Venus. The goddess of love had stolen a string from the Fates before, and I knew she could help me."

"You said you were trying to protect Reyna and I. That means you stole not one but two strings from the Fates?" Hylla demanded. She shook her head and grabbed onto the desk in front of her. "That doesn't make sense though. I saw the Fates cut Reyna's string and make her a new one. How could she do that, if it was missing?"

"The Fates knew what I did. They always do. When Reyna's sword was destroyed on the quest to retrieve Mars' shield and a new one appeared before me, I knew what Atropos wanted. I gave the sword to Reyna and returned both of your strings to the Fates. When I saw Sula ambush you, I went back to the well once again and stole the string."

"Normal mothers actually tell their kids that they care from them. They don't steal from the Fates. What were you thinking?" Hylla demanded. Bellona looked down. "You stole our string from the Fates and thought you could get away with it! Why?"

"I needed to protect the two of you. I promised your father that I would," Bellona said. Hylla looked away in anger and clenched her fist. How could her mother play with their literal fate like that? "It is my fault that Reyna is the Reaper. I brought her to the attention of the Fates."

"Let me get this right," Hylla began. She glared at her mother. You stole our strings and feel bad enough that you give them back. Reyna is punished for your failure, and for some reason, you decide to steal my string again! What is wrong with you?

"I couldn't let you die," Bellona snapped. Hylla wanted nothing more than to yell at her mother. Instead, she placed her hands to her face and took deep breaths. Why couldn't the Fates just keep an eye on all of the strings? It wasn't that hard, even if they had strings for everyone that was alive. "Venus told me that she had given a string that belonged to her daughter to Eirene for safekeeping. I gave your string to her."

"Why wouldn't you keep it?" Hylla demanded. She looked at her mother. "If I was destined to die, that is what should have happened! The Fates aren't going to have a chance to punish me for your mistakes, since Eirene is going to kill me!"

"Eirene isn't going to kill you," Arcadia interrupted. Hylla slowly turned her head and realized that they still had their audience. "Eris said that they have plans for the imperator. I thought they were going to torture her. Instead, I think that they are going to use the threat of killing you to manipulate Reyna. The imperator would burn down the world, for her sister."

"I just want to protect my little sister and keep her from danger," Hylla said. She sat down and put her head in her hands. There was no way for her to protect her sister, if Eirene really had her string. Hylla felt a hand on her shoulder. "We have to get to Rome. Now."

"We will," Arcadia said. She tightened her grip on Hylla's shoulder. "The two of us will go to the Sixth Legion base and find the imperator. From there, we will have to figure out this string issue. Eirene can't cut your string, can she? If not, you are safe."

"You're right," Hylla said. She took a deep breath and looked up at Arcadia. Her eyes moved towards her mother. Bellona watched her quietly. "If the Fates don't know that you stole the string a second time, you need to tell them. You need to tell them to upgrade their security too."

"The Fates probably allowed this," Arcadia muttered. Bellona shook her head. "How else could a god or goddess just waltz in whenever they want and take a string?"

"This is not something that happens often," Bellona replied. "It a rare occurrence. All I wanted was to fulfill my promise to your father, but we must stay focused on the task ahead. I will go to Mount Olympus and warn them."

"I will go too," Tyre said. He looked at Hylla. "Find the imperator and make sure she is safe. Arcadia, you stay safe as well."

"I always am," Arcadia said. She slowly made it to her feet and pressed her hands against her stomach. Hylla grabbed her arm gently. She needed to force all of the thoughts about her string out of her head. The only thing she needed to focus on was finding her sister.


	35. Cruel Mercy

As Annabeth finally came to, she found herself laying in a cell. Annabeth groaned and slowly turned onto her back. The last thing that she remembered was being ambushed. She knew that she had woken up a few times, only to drift back into unconsciousness. She had never been awake long enough to make sense of her surroundings.

Annabeth blinked a few times and slowly sat up. Her throat felt parched, and her stomach immediately growled. Annabeth looked around the room and found an occupant in the cell next to her. Annabeth slowly moved towards the bars of the cell and looked at her fellow prisoner.

It took Annabeth a few moments to recognize the demititan in front of her. Sarah was laying on her stomach and had her hands tied behind her back. Her cloak was gone, and the only thing she wore was pants and leather armor. There was a terrible bruise on her jaw, and it seemed to be swollen.

"Sarah, can you hear me?" Annabeth questioned. She cleared her throat a few times and desperately wished that she had some water. The demititan didn't stir. Annabeth looked around the cell and tried to remember exactly what had happened, but nothing came to mind. Where was she?

Light flooded the room, as a door was slammed open. Annabeth turned and stared at the two woman that walked into the room. She instantly recognized Eirene. The goddess of peace looked at her and stopped walking. The other woman looked at Annabeth and smirked. She was carrying someone over her shoulders.

"Eris, lay her in the cell. She's been useless so far," Eirene said. Her gaze stayed focused on Annabeth. Eris nodded and walked towards the cell on Annabeth's left. She dropped the person onto the concrete floor. A small groaned escaped the person.

Annabeth stared at Eirene. None of this made any sense. She had been working with Eirene to save the world. Annabeth had brought back Eirene's peacekeepers, so they could stop the assassins. What was going on?

"Eirene?" Annabeth began. Eirene looked at her and then down at the figure in the cell. Annabeth slowly looked at them as well. The Roman armor seemed like it belonged to a member of the Sixth Legion. Their faceplate was dented in.

Annabeth looked down at their exposed forearm and saw the tattoo of a wolf's face. She let out a sigh of relief. It wasn't Reyna. That was all that mattered. Eirene took a deep breath and looked at Eris. Eirene spoke, "Bring me the mortal. It's time."

Eris nodded and walked out of the room. Annabeth looked up and frowned. Why wasn't Eirene freeing her from the cell? Did Eirene think that Annabeth was working for the assassins? The goddess had to know better. They had been working together for a month.

"You weren't suppose to wake," Eirene said. She looked at Annabeth and studied her for a long moment. Annabeth remained silent and studied the goddess in front of her. They were locked into a staring contest, until Annabeth slowly forced herself to her feet. "You were suppose to die thinking that you were the hero."

Annabeth stared at Eirene. What was the goddess talking about? Had she been using Annabeth? Eirene closed her eyes and spoke, "You really don't understand, do you? I have manipulated you every step of the way, daughter of wisdom. This is all because of you."

"What have you done?" Annabeth asked. She slowly looked at Sarah and then the member of the Sixth Legion. Her eyes moved back towards Eirene. The goddess of peace just smiled at her. "You used me."

"I did," Eirene confirmed. She sighed sadly and looked up at the ceiling. "It was so easy too. I just manipulated a memory and showed it to you, and you fell for it. You hate Reyna so much that you believed any lie that I delivered."

"The visions," Annabeth began. She looked at the ground. Eirene warned her of two events that would happen in the future. One was Reyna killing a professor from Camp Jupiter. The other was a blood covered Reyna going to an ancient throne room. "You made them up?"

"No. They did happen but not in the ways that you think," Eirene said. She smiled. "It took a little help from my friend Mnemosyne, but I was able to distort the memory. Professor Hypatia died by the hands of a praetor named Burza. Her personal army was there, not the Sixth Legion. Julius Caesar was the one who stepped into that throne room, but your hatred allowed me to change those memories. If you had been more focused or thought clearly, you would have seen through the deception."

"Why go through all of this?" Annabeth questioned. She watched the door open, and Eris led a woman into the room. The woman seemed to be around Annabeth's age, but she was staring at the ground. Brown hair covered her eyes. The light caught onto the blood red sword in the girl's hand.

A soft whimper escaped the girl, and she almost dropped the sword. Annabeth stared at girl's hand, which seemed to be burning. Annabeth looked back at the sword. Why was the girl holding onto Reyna's sword?

"What did you do to Reyna? She wouldn't let you have that sword willingly," Annabeth began. Her eyes moved toward the member of the Sixth Legion. Had they been ambushed? The girl slowly walked towards the cell.

"You are going to die by the sword of your eternal enemy," Eirene explained. She smiled. "Caesar and Brutus have always been at war. Their children have always been at war. You and Reyna have always been at war, but you didn't realize it, until Reyna was nudged towards the edge. Phrike broke something in Reyna that day, and she never fixed it. Dare I say that it was all thanks to you."

Annabeth looked down at the ground. She remembered the day that Phrike had appeared in the middle of their tent and plagued her with nightmares. Reyna had grown much more quiet for the next few days and seemed to be on some kind of autopilot. From there, Reyna was doing things that she would never had done normally, including trying to kill one of her friends.

"Imagine how many lives you could have saved, if you and Reyna were working together," Eirene said. Annabeth looked down and didn't say a word. She refused to. "You never would have freed my peacekeepers from their sleep. There never would have been an assassination attempt. Now, the world is going to end, and it is all because of you."

Annabeth closed her eyes. She remembered giving the antidote to each of the peacekeepers. Annabeth thought that she was saving lives. Instead, she was bringing the assassins back. Those assassins had tried to kill her friends, and the Sixth Legion saved them. Everything was wrong.

"Why not just kill me earlier than now?" Annabeth muttered. She sat down against the cell and stared at the ground. "Did you keep me alive just to gloat about your plan coming together?"

"I wanted you to die by Reyna's hand, but we have to improvise," Eirene said. She looked at the red sword and smiled. "This will be enough though. You will die by the sword of the Reaper and create the final divide. May your soul finally find peace."

Eirene turned and walked out of the room. Eris hung by the door and watched Annabeth. She finally spoke, "You were played so easily, Annabeth. I thought you were suppose to be a child of Athena, but you let your hatred blind you. Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I am going to finally get back to breaking a goddess, and then, all of my attention is going to turn towards the imperator. All because of you."

Eris stepped out of the room and closed the door behind her. Annabeth just stared at the ground and closed her eyes. She had released the assassins. Annabeth was the reason that her friends almost died. The door to the cell opened, and the girl walked towards her.

Annabeth kept her gaze on the ground. How could she be so blind? How could she allow this to happen? Annabeth had been played for a fool, and she was a fool. She wasn't going to die like this though.

"Where is Reyna? How did you get her sword?" Annabeth asked. She looked up at the girl and waited. The girl looked down at her and gripped the sword. Tears of pain trickled from her eyes, but she seemed determined.

"Eris has plans for her. For all of them," the girl whispered. She took a deep breath and raised the sword. Annabeth lunged forward and slammed her shoulder into the girl's sternum. The girl fell against the cell and wheezed in pain. Annabeth grabbed onto the sword and stabbed it into the girl's chest.

After a few moments, Annabeth looked at the girl's lifeless eyes. She closed the girl's eyes and stood. The red sword didn't burn her hand, for some reason. Annabeth gripped the sword tightly and used her free hands to search the girl's pockets. When she found the key, she took a deep breath.

Annabeth slowly stood and walked towards the cell that Sarah was in. She quickly unlocked the cell and stepped inside. Sarah didn't stir. She was barely breathing. Annabeth knelt by the demititan and slowly picked her up. Annabeth felt her knees almost give out, but she forced herself to walk out and towards the other cell.

The member of the Sixth Legion groaned softly and stared to stir. They placed one hand to their face and groaned in pain. A wheeze escaped them a moment later, and they slowly rolled onto their stomach. Annabeth laid Sarah back on the ground and opened the cell door that held the member of the Sixth Legion.

"How hurt are you?" Annabeth asked. She examined their armor and could see the dent that was in the back. Something very blunt and heavy had broken their armor and probably a few bones. Annabeth looked down. She couldn't carry both of them out of the cell. "Can you hear me?"

"Annabeth Chase?" the member of the Sixth Legion asked. They slowly looked up. Annabeth stared at the blood that covered their dented faceplate. It took her a moment to recognize their voice. "The imperator. Where is she?"

"I don't know," Annabeth said. She looked down at Aquitaine and gently grabbed her arm. Aquitaine slowly rolled to her back and made it into a sitting position. "I know you're hurting badly, but we have to get out of here. Do you have any clue where we are?"

Aquitaine looked down and placed both hands to her face. After a moment, she pulled off her faceplate and winced in pain. Her nose was completely shattered, and bruises covered her face, along with blood. Aquitaine spat blood out and slowly got to her knees. With Annabeth's help, she was able to make it to her feet.

Aquitaine walked towards the cell and examined the lock. She blinked a few times and seemed to be trying to focus. Annabeth picked Sarah up and walked towards the door. She peeked out into the hallway. It was completely deserted. Aquitaine slowly walked towards her.

"I know this place," Aquitaine said. She blinked a few more times and placed both hands to her face. "This is the old base of the wolf clan. Seva must be here to reclaim her past."

"The bounty said you were a severion," Annabeth began. Her gaze focused back on the tattoo. "But, you're not. Seva and you have the same tattoo."

"We're sisters," Aquitaine muttered. She glanced out into the hall and slowly stepped out of the room. Annabeth followed. "I don't know how familiar you are with the stories of the wolf clan, but they have been romanticized. My clan did terrible things, all in the name of power. I couldn't stand what they were doing, so I betrayed the only family I ever knew."

"I tried to go to the Council first, as I always heard they were our biggest competition. They were nothing more than three old men who couldn't see past their fears to realize the opportunity that was in front of them. I left and wandered the forest. Fate brought me together with the Sixth Legion, after I stumbled into their borders," Aquitaine explained. She looked down. "I still don't know how Seva survived, but Caesar swore me to secrecy. He gave Seva the tools she needed to destroy and rebuild the Council in her image. Caesar thought that he could control Europe, through Seva.

The rest of the walk down the hall was in silence. Annabeth tried to listen for anyone, but she didn't hear anything. It was like the place was abandoned. Aquitaine suddenly stopped at a door and peeked inside. She glanced back at Annabeth and nodded slightly

Aquitaine pushed open the door and stepped inside. Annabeth followed behind her and stared at the office that they were in. A map of Rome hung on the wall, along with a ton of writing. Aquitaine slowly walked towards the map and studied it. One of her hands gripped her leg.

"Why would Caesar even keep Seva alive? It sounds like he could have killed her," Annabeth began. She searched the desk in front of her but found nothing other than more notes and books. Her eyes moved towards Aquitaine.

"Caesar knew the prophecy of the wolf clan. Rome would be under the control of the wolf clan, until only one of the members was left. He knew I was loyal to the Sixth Legion," Aquitaine explained. "If he killed Seva, Rome would be thrown into chaos, and everyone would be trying to take control. Keeping Seva alive meant that he could keep the controllers of Rome close. I truly believe he thought that he could control Seva. It wasn't a wise decision, but it was his."

"You could have warned him about her," Annabeth said. She sat Sarah down in a chair and used the sword to cut the ropes around Sarah's wrist. The demititan didn't stir at all, which only concerned Annabeth even more. Sarah was breathing, but she wasn't waking up. "Why didn't you?"

"Seva was protected from the things that our father did. As the elder sister, she was the one who was taught all of the skills that she needed to take over leadership. Seva rarely left our base. I was the one trained to protect her, and I got to experience the real horrors," Aquitaine explained. A sad noise escaped her. "I told Seva about the things our father really did, and she seemed to understand. I thought she forgave me, but she played me like a fool."

"Eirene played me," Annabeth stated. She was quite sure how she was suppose to feel, but the thing that she did feel was anger. Eirene tricked her. Eirene used her. Annabeth gripped the sword and suddenly snapped out of her rage. She dropped the sword to the ground and felt the anger start to leave her. Annabeth stared down at the sword, and it almost seemed like the red blade was pulsating.

"Did they say where the imperator was?" Aquitaine asked. Annabeth looked at Aquitaine and shook her head. Her gaze moved back towards the sword. Was it feeding off her emotions? Was it controlling her? "I can show you where the exit is. I will stay behind to find the imperator."

"She's not here," Annabeth said. Aquitaine slowly looked at her. "This place seems to be abandoned. If Reyna was here, we would have ran into one of the goddesses or even guards. I think they left me here for days, and they were going to do the same for you and Sarah."

"I think Seva mentioned that she wanted me alone, to question me. It's fuzzy," Aquitaine admitted. She placed both hands to her face and sighed. "I cannot leave my imperator to suffer for my mistakes."

"We are going to find Reyna, but we can't do it here. If you can get us out of here, I can get a message to my friends. We have to warn them about Eirene," Annabeth said. Aquitaine watched her for a few moments and finally nodded. Other than pain, there was no emotion on her face. Annabeth slowly knelt down and grabbed Reyna's sword again.

Annabeth looked back at Sarah and gently grabbed the demititan's shoulder. She really wished that Sarah would wake up. Carrying her out would be difficult, and Annabeth didn't exactly trust the demigod in front of her. If Aquitaine had betrayed her own sister, who wouldn't she betray?


	36. Oleum Camino

"I'm never going to be able to clean all of this blood off of my hands," Eris said. She examined the blood on her hands and smiled happily. It was a really good day. No, it was a good week. Eris had so many options on who she wanted to work her anger out on. She really wanted to get back to Arcadia, as the goddess had been alone for too long. Her wounds would be mostly healed. Granted, that just made Eris' job easier.

Getting the goddess to talk about the Sixth Legion was a little more challenging than Eris expected, but she could make it work. She always did. After Eris was finished with the goddess, she would go back to the imperator. It was tempting really. All she had to do was walk down a few halls and be back to working on the imperator. Reyna wouldn't be moving for a long time though.

Eris glanced to her left, at a closed door. Eirene was behind the door, and even though the goddess of peace would never admit it, she was nervously awaiting to hear from her favorite mortal. It shouldn't have taken thirty minutes to kill someone, but maybe, the mortal just didn't know what she was doing. Eris taught her how to use the sword though. The pointy and sharp part went into flesh. It didn't matter where.

"Any advice for this?" Eris asked. She held up her blood covered hands and looked to her right. One of the peacekeepers, the healer, was kneeling by Burza. What was that healers name? Pie? Piga? Eris frowned and looked down.

"It wasn't wise to break the spine of one of your peacekeepers," the healer answered. She knelt by Burza's face and tried to wipe the blood away. Eris rolled her eyes in annoyance, but she also smiled. Pia. That was the peacekeepers name. She kept lecturing Eris about hurting people, which didn't make any sense. Eris' favorite thing was hurting people. "Burza is going to be out of commission for weeks. How is she suppose to assassinate your targets?"

"I hear a lot of complaining and not a lot of healing," Eris commented. She looked down at Burza. Between what Camp Half-Blood did and being punished for her complete and utter failure, Burza wouldn't be conscious for at least a week. Eris was going to do even worse though, after the peacekeepers completed their job.

"Even with my string, I have a limit to my healing," Pia snapped. "I healed the negotiator and brought her back from the brink of death. You still want me to heal the imperator, so you can break her bones again. You wanted me to heal Burza. Next, you will want me to heal that goddess!"

"Eirene isn't going to be happy, when she learns that you are speaking back to me," Eris said. Pia flinched and looked down. Eris smiled and knelt in front of the child of Apollo. "Burza is going to be an example to all of you. Eirene is not longer going to tolerate failure. I will be your punishment. Understood?"

"Understood," Pia repeated. She knelt by Burza and gently studied her face. Pia took a deep breath and placed two hands to Burza's chest. She started to chant under her breath. Eris snorted and turned her head. That stupid daughter of Jupiter had to be back on her feet, only to send the demigod leaders straight to Tartarus. After that, Eris was going to enjoy ending her miserable life.

Eris glanced at the corner of the room. The daughter of Pluto was sulking around and watching them. Eris smirked and walked out of the room. Along the way, she picked up a metal baseball bat and practiced her swing. It was a little too much fun honestly.

As Eris walked around their base, she didn't find any other peacekeepers. It was odd. One of them was usually kneeling in her room at this time and praying to the sun god or something weird like that. The others would be arguing with each other. It was like they had all disappeared. Did Eirene send them on a mission and keep Eris out of the loop again?

Eris sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was inside of Eirene's temple. Eris walked towards the wall and almost slipped. She whirled around, expecting an attack. Eris was alone though. Her gaze slowly moved around the temple and then towards the ground. It seemed as if she had slipped on Golden Ichor.

Eris followed the small trail of Golden Ichor towards the exit. Then, she turned and followed it back to the hidden wall in Eirene's temple. Oh no. She was in big trouble. Eris opened the wall and stepped inside. Even though she knew exactly what she would find, she followed the trail to the empty room that once held a goddess.

Oh, Eris was in big trouble. Eirene was actually going to kill her for this. The goddess of peace was a big stickler for making sure her plans were followed to the letter, and Eris had been diverting from the plan just a small bit. She was suppose to finish with Arcadia before turning towards Reyna, but the imperator was so much more fun. There was so many options to work with.

It was fine though. Everything that she would have learned from Arcadia could also be learned from Reyna. Sure, the goddess had seen that Eirene and Eris were working together, but no one would believe her. Things would be fine. Eris really hoped they would be.

Eris blinked and found herself back at the peacekeeper's base. She looked around the room and found that Pia and Burza were gone. Eris rolled her eyes. Why did the peacekeepers insist on taking their injured to the infirmary? It was just going to bloody up perfectly good blankets.

After taking a few deep breaths, Eris walked towards the room that Eirene was in. She stepped into the room and was met with a furious glare. Eirene glared at her and spoke, "I said that I did not want to be disturbed!"

"Arcadia escaped," Eris said. A phone flew by her head, and she blinked. Eris looked down at the broken remains of the phone. "How is your mortal going to contact you now?"

Two hands wrapped around Eris' neck and slammed her into the wall. Eris grabbed onto Eirene's hands and stared at the goddess. Was Eirene actually getting physical? Eris was happy to see it, but she wished that it was focused on someone else.

"I do not need your mouth," Eirene hissed. She tightened her grip. "What do you mean Arcadia escaped? She saw us together. This will ruin everything. How did she escape?"

"I didn't stay around long enough to find out," Eris said. She grabbed onto Eirene's hands and pried them from her neck. She shoved the goddess of peace backwards. "She must have slipped out of her chains and escaped. There is no other explanation for it."

"We can salvage this," Eris continued. She grabbed Eirene's shoulder tightly. "I will make the imperator tell me everything that she knows. She's already broken down a few times, and Zara is doing her weird death thing. We can still do this."

"You're right. We just need to use the string. Where did you put it?" Eirene asked. Eris frowned. String? There was the strings that belonged to the peacekeepers, and that was it. "I gave you a few strings and told you to not let a specific one out of your sight. Do you remember?"

"Of course," Eris said. She remembered that Eirene handing her the strings and telling her about them, but that didn't mean she was paying attention to everything that Eirene said. All she knew was that she had to give the strings to the peacekeepers. Simple as that.

"So, where is Hylla's string?" Eirene questioned. Eris frowned. Wasn't Hylla the older sister of Reyna? Why would Eirene have her string, or was she a new peacekeeper? Eris couldn't keep any of them straight. "Where is it?"

"With the other peacekeepers. I gave the other strings to Beleza and held onto Zara's, like you requested," Eris replied. For some reason, Eirene looked ready to strangle her again. "Did you say anything else after that?"

"I said not to give the string to anyone!" Eirene yelled. The building shook from the might of her voice, and Eris almost flinched. Eirene's finger slammed directly into her chest. "That string was vital to my plans!"

"Why didn't you say so?" Eris asked. Eirene's face turned a very bright shade of red. Was she mad? Eris didn't know why. Eirene had nothing to be mad about. "That doesn't make sense anyway. If we have Hylla's string, why do you want me to destroy Reyna?"

"Did you pay attention to a word that I said," Eirene snapped. Eris rolled her eyes and was shoved backwards. Eirene started to pace back and forth. Eris had never seen Eirene this angry before, and she was kind of proud of herself. How great was she to push the goddess of peace this far, even if that goddess didn't really have a reason to be angry. Eris had done everything that had been asked of her, or at least the stuff that she remembered.

"I always do," Eris said. "I am still confused though. If you are going to use the string to convince Reyna to do your bidding, why would you have me torture her?"

"You are the worst listener that I have ever met in my life. You are the reason that this world will continue down its horrible path," Eirene snapped. Eris rolled her eyes. "Are you sure that you gave the string to Beleza?"

"Yes," Eris said. She waited for Eirene to get over her sudden temper tantrum. "Why don't you just, I don't know, go find your peacekeeper and demand the string back. She's probably looking up her next target or giving herself a tan. Those are the only two things she has been doing. It shouldn't be too hard to find her."

"You're right," Eirene muttered. She looked down and took a deep breath. "I want you to listen to me, and I mean really listen. Is all of your attention on me?"

"Yes," Eris said. She sat down on the desk. "Even though you insulted me, I am paying full attention to you. What is so important about Hylla's string?"

"I was never going to use to convince the imperator to work with us. The imperator is staying out of our plans, so she cannot interfere. She is not leaving those chains, understood?" Eirene asked. Eris nodded. "Good. I am going to use Hylla's string to convince her wife to hold a dinner meeting with the rest of the demigod leaders, and they will be served poisoned food and drinks. My peacekeepers will be there to clean up the mess."

"Not a bad plan. Come on," Eris said. She walked out of the room. "Let's get the string from Beleza. The last I saw of her was when she was with Zara. She probably went to help Zara, so the two are with the imperator."

Eirene nodded, pushed past her, and stormed down the hallway. Eris followed behind. She didn't know why Eirene was so stressed out about everything. Why did it matter if the Olympians learned about Eirene's involvement? What were they going to do? Punish her?

Eris followed Eirene down the twisting halls. A small part of her was concerned that she didn't sense or see any of the peacekeepers, but they were doing their own thing. Eris needed to focus on the objective in front of her.

"Let me go first," Eris said, as they stopped outside of the room that Reyna was in. She hoped the demigod was awake. It would just be rude to interrupt Reyna's sleep. A smile came to Eris' face, and she shoved the door open. "I hope you had a good rest. We're going to have some more fun today."

Eris looked into the room and blinked a few times. There was no one in the room. Eris slowly looked around. Obviously, she had stepped into the wrong room. Even though there was dried blood on the floor and a couple of broken baseball bats scattered about, this couldn't be the right room.

"Get the peacekeepers together. Now," Eirene hissed. Eris nodded once and quickly walked away from the room. She walked towards the infirmary and peeked inside. There was no one inside, which was weird. Pia should have been paying attention to her patient. Where were all of the peacekeepers?

Eris walked out of the infirmary and checked every room in the base. She didn't find anyone at all. The rooms that the peacekeepers slept in were completely empty. The peacekeepers didn't have much anyway, but they still had a few pairs of clothes.

"Eirene, we have a situation," Eris called. She looked down and tried to think. Reyna didn't know where her second in command was. The peacekeepers didn't either. The disappearance of Reyna and Arcadia were not connected. The disappearance of the peacekeepers and Reyna was connected though. Why would the peacekeepers betray them?

A loud crash sounded throughout the base. Eris rolled her eyes and went to the source of the sound. Eirene grabbed a table and threw it at the wall. Eris spoke, "I haven't seen this side of you before. You need to calm down."

"Everything is falling apart," Eirene snapped. She threw a chair at Eris. It took a few moments for Eris to ignore the fact that Eirene was trying to direct the anger towards her. She had done nothing wrong. "I have been trying to bring this world to peace for so long. Now, my plans are ruined."

"We can use this," Eris said. She grabbed Eirene's shoulder. "At the moment, it seems like the world is against you, but it isn't. We can still manipulate Hylla's wife. We don't have Hylla's string, but they don't know that. We can turn the peacekeepers against the Olympians and sweep up the pieces. Let me take the lead on this one, Eirene. I can teach you all about chaos."


	37. Somniabunt

"I don't see any armies," Hylla began. She looked around the small clearing they were in. There was definite signs of battle and a few bodies on the ground. Arcadia tried to kneel next to one of the bodies, but she ended up just collapsing to her knees. Hylla moved towards the goddess but was waved away.

"There is a trail of destruction going from our base," Arcadia commented. She looked towards the right and then moved her eyes to left. Hylla followed the gaze and saw a cave in the distance. Arcadia frowned. "No fire. Some must have stayed behind."

"Would they burn the base, if they left?" Hylla questioned. Arcadia nodded and slowly got back to her feet. She started to walk towards the cave. Hylla followed and stared as she saw even more bodies from the battle. Poorly armored barbarians littered the grass. "Don't tell me that cave is where the base is."

"Just the entrance," Arcadia responded. Hylla shook her head and quickly followed behind the goddess. The two made it towards the cave and stepped inside. Hylla only saw a wall in front of her, and there was drawings on the wall. A few bodies were laying at the entrance.

Hylla frowned and looked around. There had been a definite battle between the two sides, but there was no more barbarians around. The barbarians were either attacking in waves or were just going to starve out the Sixth Legion. For both of those plans to work, the army had to be right there. Where did the barbarians go?

"I can't sense the imperator anywhere," Arcadia muttered. She walked further into the cave and spoke in Latin. The Mist cleared away to reveal a door. Arcadia opened the door and stepped into the base. After taking a deep breath, Hylla followed behind.

As Hylla stepped into the room, two arrows flew by her face. Arcadia caught a third one that would have hit Hylla right between the eyes. Arcadia spoke, "Lower your weapons! Where is the imperator?"

Hylla couldn't see down the hallway, as the lights were turned off. After a moment, they turned on, to reveal three members of the Sixth Legion. All three of them wore armor that was covered in blood. Two held bows with notched arrows.

The only one without a bow raised their hand and slowly removed their helmet. Sparta stared at them and slowly limped towards them. She spoke, "Arcadia? We've been trying to get in contact with you for almost a day. Where were you?"

"Being held hostage," Arcadia answered. She looked back at the entrance and nodded. "This is good work. Where is the imperator?"

"Not here. We haven't seen her, ever since she left with you," Sparta replied. Her eyes moved towards Hylla. "We received a message that we were under attack. Bristol and Aquitaine took a bulk of the legion to smash through the barbarians and meet Sven. We were holding out here."

"Why hasn't the Council stopped this?" one of the other demigods questioned. They walked towards Arcadia. "The barbarians have been coming in waves. We barely held the door the last time, and our injuries are multiplying."

"I don't know," Arcadia admitted. She looked around the base. "How long has it been since the last attack? We found signs of battles but no barbarians."

"A hour or two," one of the other demigods replied. Sparta nodded her agreement and slowly put her helmet back on. It seemed like she was practically out on her feet. One of the demigods steadied her. "Aurora and I are the only ones uninjured."

"We need to go," Hylla interrupted. She looked at Arcadia. "Reyna probably found her way to the rest of the legion. Can we send a message to them?"

"Yes. In the imperator's office," Arcadia replied. She motioned down the hallway. Hylla took off, not waiting for the goddess. "You three keep an eye on the entrance. I do not like the fact that the barbarians seemed to have vanished into thin air."

Hylla walked down the hall and slowly looked around the Sixth Legion base. Most of the doors were closed, and it seemed like the doors were locked. Hylla heard Arcadia behind her, and she stepped to the side. Arcadia walked past her and made a right turn. Hylla followed after the goddess.

"You still can't sense my sister anywhere?" Hylla questioned. Arcadia shook her head. Hylla frowned and looked down. Why couldn't Arcadia sense where Reyna was? The only job that the goddess had was to protect the imperator. How could Arcadia fail at the one job that she had?

"No," Arcadia said. She stopped at a door and opened it. After a moment, Hylla stepped inside and looked around the office. There was a fountain in the corner of the room, and it seemed to be the place where Reyna sent messages. Hylla turned her attention towards the desk at the back of the room, and she slowly walked towards it.

Other than a pill bottle at the corner of the desk, there was no personal items in the entire office. Hylla placed a hand to her desk and looked to her side. There was a large bookcase that was full of files. Her other side held a few filing cabinets. Hylla spoke, "Where does Reyna sleep at?"

"Step outside and to the right," Arcadia replied. She grabbed coin and tossed it towards the fountain. Hylla stepped outside of the office and turned to her right. She opened the door and stepped into her little sister's room.

Hylla didn't quite know what she was expecting from the room. There was no decorations on the walls, and the walls were a dark purple. A bed in the corner of the room wasn't made, and it looked like it hadn't been made for days. A half empty closest was on the other side of the room, and there almost seemed to be more armor pieces in the closest than clothes.

Hylla sighed and walked towards the bed. She sat down and looked at the picture that rested on a small bedside table. Reyna and her were looking at the camera with awkward but genuine smiles. Hylla remembered the day that they had taken the picture. It was the day that Reyna and Hylla had finally reconnected after a few years apart. The two had actually sat down somewhere and talked. At the end of their conversation, Reyna insisted they take a picture.

"I'm going to find you, and I'm going to protect you," Hylla swore. She placed the picture back on the table and slowly stood. Arcadia walked into the room. Hylla looked up. "What is our next step to find Reyna?"

"The imperator has not touched the hilt of her dagger for help. I tried to send her a message, but she did not answer. They could be in the middle of a battle," Arcadia answered. "We must find the rest of the Sixth Legion, but if they are in battle, we will have to fight off our attackers. You will need armor."

Hylla nodded and felt a wave of exhaustion hit her. She stumbled slightly and frowned. Despite all of her worries, she had plenty of sleep the night before. There was no reason for her to be tired, but her eyes were growing heavy. Hylla blinked a few times and tried to stay awake. Instead, her knees went weak, and the world disappeared into darkness.

* * *

When Hylla opened her eyes, she was sitting in a chair. There was voice all around her. Hylla blinked a few times and looked around the restaurant. It was the same restaurant in the picture that she had just been looking at. People sat all around her, but none of them paid attention to her. Hylla looked down at herself. What had happened to her?

Hylla heard the chair next to her move. She quickly turned her head and stared at the woman that sat by her. The woman looked at the menu and spoke, "It's not a bad place, but I heard the food is terrible, except for the bread."

Hylla threw the table to the side and grabbed onto the woman's neck. She slammed her directly into the wall and spoke, "You tried to kill me and my wife. What do you want?"

"Guess I won't be trying that bread," the woman commented, and she looked at the flipped table. A smile came to her beautiful face. At the moment, Hylla just wanted to punch the woman in her perfect features. "If I really wanted to kill you, I would have hit you in the heart instead of the shoulder. I do not miss my targets."

"What did you do to me?" Hylla snapped. It almost felt like she was in a dream, as no one was reacting to her throwing the table. "And, what do you want with me?"

"Let go of me. Then, we can talk," the woman answered. She smiled, but there was something dark and cold in her eyes. "I came to talk to you about your sister. She is safe, if you're wondering."

After a few moments of deep breaths, Hylla let go of the woman. She backed a few feet away and started to pace. Hylla spoke, "My sister is with the Sixth Legion."

"Was," the woman corrected. Hylla turned on her and glared. "The Council, Seva, called for Reyna and one of her centurions to meet at a temple. Seva handed Reyna over to Eris, and you can imagine that Eris wasn't gentle. We rescued her."

"Arcadia already told me that Eirene is working against us. You're part of her assassins. Why would you turn against her?" Hylla snapped. She looked down and felt her gut twist. There was no doubt in her mind that Eris had tortured Reyna. Hadn't Reyna been through enough?

"Eirene's one goal has only been to bring peace to the world. For the longest time, she wanted to destroy the Olympians. Suddenly, she decided that all demigods needed to die. When she woke my friends and I from our slumber, she told us that we were to kill the demigod leaders. We intentionally did not do what Eirene wanted. Without demigods, this world will fall," the woman explained. "My name is Beleza, by the way."

"Where is Reyna?" Hylla asked. Beleza studied her for a moment and smiled slightly. "You said that you rescued her. Where is she?"

"At our base," Beleza answered. She sighed sadly. "I understand how it feels, Hylla. The only you want to do is protect your younger sibling, but it is as if the world is out to stop you. Everything that you do to try and protect them, but it's never enough. Reyna is hurt badly, but our doctor is on it."

"You speak like you have experience," Hylla began. Beleza looked at her and smiled, but there was no happiness there. It was all sadness. Hylla studied Beleza, and for the smallest moment, she saw herself in the assassin in front of her.. "Is that why you joined Eirene? Because you lost someone?"

"My younger brother," Beleza said. She looked down and closed her eyes. "Our father was a rich businessman, and he cared more about his company than his own children. I was a trouble child, being a demigod. I got shipped away to an all girls boarding school. My little brother was left alone with our uncle."

"My uncle abused my little brother, in so many different ways," Beleza said. She opened her eyes but didn't try to wipe away her tears. "Venus knew about it, but she never told my father. She never told me. It wasn't until I was sent home unexpectedly that I learned of the abuse. I walked in on it, and the last thing I remember is seeing the pure horror and fear on his face. He was helpless against my uncle."

"You killed your uncle," Hylla guessed. From the cruel smile on Beleza's face, Hylla knew that death came only after justice was dealt. She didn't blame the woman in front of her. Hylla would have done the same thing.

"The Olympians do not care for their children," Beleza said. She looked up at Hylla. "They use us and then throw us aside. The same thing happened to all of my friends, and it happened to your sister. It is time for new blood, and we want your sister to help us. If she doesn't want to help, we will deliver her back to you."

"You'll have to excuse me for thinking that you're lying," Hylla said. Beleza nodded and sighed. Hylla watched the assassin in front of her. "If you really want Reyna to work with you, I want a message from her as soon as she wakes."

Beleza studied her for a few moments. A small smile came to her face, but there was no reading her emotions. Hylla clenched her fist and tried to keep her calm. Beleza nodded and spoke, "Can you shift it?"

Hylla wanted to ask what Beleza meant, but before she could ask, the world shifted. Hylla blinked and found herself standing outside. A look around showed that she was in a garden. There was the sound of a fountain behind her, but Hylla was more focused on the two people in front of her.

The woman on the right was not someone that Hylla recognized. She seemed to hear them and glanced back at them. Her pale eyes focused on Hylla, and a small smile came to her face. Hylla's eyes moved to the person on the left. It took a moment for Reyna to turn around and stare at Hylla.

At the moment, Hylla didn't care about anything else than her younger sister. She rushed forward and pulled Reyna into a tight hug. Reyna hugged her back tightly and buried her head in Hyllla's chest. Hylla glanced to her right, but she saw that Beleza and the other woman were gone.

"I'm going to find you," Hylla promised. She pulled away and grabbed her sister's face. Reyna slowly looked up. "You have to promise me that you will keep it together, please. If they threaten me, you can't listen to them. Don't let them force you to do their bidding."

"You're the only person that I have left," Reyna said. Hylla stared down at her little sister. Part of her thought this was just a dream. Everything in front of her could have just been something made up by Beleza and her friends, but as Hylla looked into Reyna's eyes, she saw the confusion, fear, and chaos in there. "I cannot lose you. I won't."

"I'll be fine. I'm worried about you," Hylla whispered. She kissed Reyna's forehead and pulled her close. Reyna buried her face in Hylla's chest and let out a muffled cry. Hylla held onto her little sister tightly and didn't let her go. "We're in this together, Reyna."

Reyna nodded slightly and didn't respond. Hylla just continued to rub her sister's back. Her only wish was that the dream would never end. She wanted to just stay there with her sister till the end of time. Hylla closed her eyes and spoke, "I love you."

"I love you too," Reyna mumbled. She pulled away and wiped her eyes. Reyna slowly looked up. "I think I'm going to wake up soon. Everything is starting to fade away. I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I just need time."

"Keep yourself safe. I don't know if we can trust these assassins or not," Hylla whispered. Reyna nodded and closed her eyes. It tore Hylla's heart apart to see how shaken her sister seemed. Hylla looked down and took a deep breath. "What did Eris do to you?"

Reyna shook her head, and Hylla felt the world starting to slip away. The colors in the garden turned a shade of gray. Hylla knew that Reyna was waking up, but she wasn't ready to leave her sister yet. Reyna spoke, "She broke me."

"I'm going to tear her apart," Hylla promised. She gripped Reyna's shoulders. "You're going to be okay. Focus on taking care of yourself. Please just keep yourself from the darkness."

"I've never gotten away from it," Reyna admitted. Hylla tried to speak, but the dream slipped away into darkness. Hylla closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, she found herself laying on a cot. Voices were talking all around her, but all Hylla could think about was her sister.

Hylla needed to find Reyna. She needed to save her sister from the assassins. It didn't matter what the assassins claimed, as whatever they did would only upset the Olympians. Reyna needed to be protected from the backlash of that. She needed to be protected from herself.

Hylla thought that Reyna had separated herself from the darkness in her head, but it seems like that was wrong. Why didn't Reyna tell Hylla that? How was Hylla suppose to help her little sister, if the truth was being hidden? How was she suppose to save Reyna from herself?

It took a few moments for Hylla to roll onto her back and glance around the tent that she was in. The room was full of members from the Sixth Legion, and all seemed to have some kind of injuries. Arcadia was overseeing everyone, and her eyes focused on Hylla. The goddess slowly limped towards her.

"How are you feeling?" Arcadia questioned. Hylla waved away the question and slowly sat up. Nothing hurt, but she still didn't know why she had just passed out, unless the assassins wanted her to talk to Reyna. They could have caused Hylla to black out and hijacked her dream, but they couldn't be that powerful. "We need to talk. Alone."

Hylla nodded and slowly rolled out of the cot. As she did, she saw one unarmored figure sitting in the corner of the room. Hylla stared at Annabeth. It seemed like Annabeth was in the middle of an Iris message. Hylla studied the daughter of Athena for a very long moment. She finally forced herself to look back at Arcadia.

"Reyna is somewhat safe. I had a dream," Hylla began. Arcadia quickly looked at her and winced in pain. "I'll tell you about it, once we are by ourselves."

Arcadia nodded and led her out of the tent. Hylla followed behind and focused on the ground. Somehow, she was going to find Reyna. It didn't matter who Hylla had to tear through. She would find her little sister, and no one was going to stop her.


	38. Evils of Free Will

"Just put the card into the machine," Bellona hissed. She glanced at the line behind them. Impatient mortals were waiting behind them, and some were on their phones. Others were almost glaring at them. Bellona glanced back at Athena. The goddess of wisdom was staring at the card reader in front of them. After a moment, she finally inserted the card into the machine.

The machine immediately started beeping. Athena pulled the card out and almost looked flustered. Bellona moved closer to the goddess and spoke, "Just pay with cash. Don't you have mortal cash?"

"No," Athena whispered back. "Hestia handed me this weird card and told me to pay with it. She wanted some special brownies to give to the mortal who watches the elevator that leads to Mount Olympus. Hestia believes that he deserves a special treat, but she did not tell me how to use this infernal machine."

"Ma'am, do you need help?" the mortal at the counter asked. She was eyeing the line behind them nervously. Athena looked up and almost looked ready to smite the mortal on the spot. How dare some random mortal ask the great goddess of wisdom if she needed help? Well, that was what Athena's eyes said, and Bellona didn't have time for it.

"We do," Bellona said. She snatched the card from Athena and handed it to the mortal at the counter. The mortal smiled and helped them insert the card. Athena studied the machine for a moment, as it was asking for some set of numbers.

"You can press the green circle," the mortal suggested. Athena nodded and did as she was told. The machine beeped, and the mortal pulled the card out of the machine and handed it back to them. Athena pocketed the card and took the bag of sweets. They left the bakery.

"Hestia dabbles too much with the mortals," Athena muttered. She glanced around the street and walked across. Bellona followed behind and remained silent. The only reason she went to the bakery was to try and clear her head. Her youngest, most fractured daughter was in the hands of Eris, and the string of her eldest daughter was with Eirene.

"We need to talk," Bellona said. She stopped at the door of the Empire State Building. Athena looked at her and frowned. "Eirene and Eris are working together. I know it's sounds unbelievable, but that is why I came to you. Tyre is already waiting on Mount Olympus, and I heard that Lupa is here as well. We all know the truth."

"Eirene is working with Eris," Athena said. A deep frown came to her face, and she seemed to think. "How do you know of this?"

"Arcadia told me," Bellona responded. Athena instantly shook her head. "I know what you're thinking, but she claims that Lupa, Lelantos, and Sally Jackson would know what happened. Her wounds were also caused by Kronos' sword. Who was the last one to have that?"

"Zeus gave the sword to Eirene," Athena stated. "If the sword was physically taken from her, she would have told us. If she stored it away, she might not have known it was taken. How do we know for sure that it is Eirene?"

"That is what Sally Jackson claims that she saw. She went to Camp Half-Blood and then Camp Jupiter to warn them. Lupa was escorting her. We can probably grab her and take her to Mount Olympus, so she can tell her story," Bellona explained. She walked into the lobby of the Empire State Building.

"Do you think those two are connected to the assassins?" Athena questioned. After a moment, Bellona nodded. Athena sighed softly and walked towards the front counter. Instead of the normal, male security guard, there was a woman. The woman glanced up at them.

Bellona frowned. She knew that the security guard was a mortal, but he was also tied to Mount Olympus. If the Olympians thought that Mount Olympus was in trouble, they would send the security guard away. Magic around the door protected the security guard from the outside world and the dangers of it. So, where was the security guard?

"Hestia asked for me to deliver this to the security guard," Athena began. She studied the woman for the reaction but didn't get one. The woman nodded and motioned towards a picture on the counter. It was small and almost hidden away, but she could see a picture of the security guard and a little girl.

"His kid is sick and in the hospital. Poor girl came down with something terrible," the woman answered. She sighed sadly. Bellona felt an odd power coming from the woman, which meant she could see through the mist. Athena nodded and awkwardly held onto the bag of sweets.

The woman studied them with soft, brown eyes. She ran a hand through her black hair before throwing her hood over her head and focusing back on her phone. If it wasn't for the fact that the woman's jacket had the same logo as the first security guard did, Bellona would have been concerned. Instead, the goddess turned towards Athena and spoke, "Reyna is in trouble. According to Arcadia, Eris has her."

"Not anymore," a voice said. Bellona quickly turned and stared at Eris. The goddess smiled cruelly. "I was kind of saddened really. It only took a few broken bones for your daughter to break down."

Bellona grabbed Eris and slammed her into the wall. She spoke, "What did you do to Reyna?"

"Nothing that you haven't been doing," Eris responded. That stupid smile was still on her face. Bellona glared angrily. "I know I'm not the only one who has slapped her around a little. You enjoyed it, didn't you? I can see it in your eyes."

"Where is my daughter?" Bellona hissed. She didn't know why Eris thought that she could just walk into Mount Olympus, but she didn't care. Athena grabbed Bellona and pulled her away. Bellona glared at the goddess of wisdom, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eirene watching them.

"We made a mistake," Eirene began. She looked around the lobby. "I made a mistake. Those assassins that attacked the demigod leaders were my doing, but the same assassins are planning to do much worse. Your daughter is with them."

"You're lying," Bellona snapped. She turned towards Eirene. The goddess of peace looked almost like she regretted her decision. Athena was watching everything emotionless. "Reyna would never work with the assassins."

"Well, I think she would. In fact, I know she is going to. They have Hylla's string," Eris said. Bellona stared at the goddess and felt a pit in her stomach twist. She had given Hylla's string to Eirene, to keep it safe. Bellona was a fool. "We all know what Reyna would do for her sister. The only question is how long do we have before Olympus is burned to the ground."

"I told Lord Zeus what I did, and he agreed to meet with Eris and I. We are going to explain that we did what we thought was right, but we made a mistake. Now, Burza has Kronos' sword, and I fear what she is going to do with it," Eirene explained.

"Burza has Kronos' sword?" Athena questioned. Her eyes were wide, and she shook her head. "Did she take it from you, or did you give it to her?"

"I gave it to her," Eirene whispered. She buried her face in her hands. There was no missing the regret in her voice. "I thought I was doing the right thing. Then, she disappeared with the rest of the assassins."

Bellona closed her eyes and shook her head. Why would they give Burza one of the most powerful swords in the world? The former praetor was insane, charismatic, and powerful. She was suppose to be dead, but since she wasn't, the last thing that she needed was Kronos' sword.

"Burza was the perfect Roman; therefore, she had to die. I convinced Zeus of that. We set the ambush for her and her army, and we led them to their deaths.," Athena stated. Bellona shook her head. A Greek goddess should never interfere with Roman affairs, yet, Athena did it all the time. "Burza reminds me of Reyna, but she may be more dangerous."

"Our plan worked with Burza. Is that why we thought it would work with Reyna?" Bellona asked, more to herself than anyone. Regret hit her hard, and she looked down. "We pulled away the help from Camp Jupiter and allowed it to fall. We hoped that Reyna would be killed defending her home. Instead, we helped further her descent into madness."

Bellona looked down at the ground. Her vote was the deciding one to put the plan into action. It was one of the hardest decisions that she had ever made, but at the same time, there was no way that they could allow Reyna to be used as a vessel for Ouranos. If Reyna had to die to save the world, that was how it would be.

In the end, it didn't matter. Reyna survived the assault on Camp Jupiter and managed to destroy Ouranos but not before making decisions that vilified her. Reyna could never find out about their failed plan though. There was no telling how she would react, but it wouldn't be pretty.

"When haven't you ruined your daughter's life?" Eris chimed in. Bellona turned and clenched her fist. Athena shot her a sharp look and then looked at the two goddesses standing opposite of them. Eris was watching them with that crazy grin. Eirene only stared at the ground. "That's a very terrible thing to do to your youngest, if I do say so myself. Guess that is the evil of being able to make your own decisions."

"Eris, we are looking for forgiveness, not anger. We must do everything that they say," Eirene said. Eris sneered but seemed to relax. Eirene glanced at the security guard, but her eyes truly never left the ground. "Can we have the key for the sixth hundredth floor?"

The security guard looked up. Her gaze focused on Athena, and after a moment, the goddess of wisdom nodded. The security guard tossed a keycard towards. Bellona and then went right back to her phone. Bellona almost rolled her eyes. Mortals these days weren't focused on what was in front of them. They always missed the little clues that led to something important.

Athena glanced back at Bellona. There was clear distrust in her eyes, and Bellona agreed with it. Why would Eris and Eirene be allowed on Mount Olympus? The two of them had been working against the Olympians. They couldn't just be forgiven for their crimes, could they?

"They are going to sell out their assassins for their own safety," Athena muttered. She shook her head. "We have to work with them though. If Burza has Kronos' sword, we know where she is going. She's going to march right up to Mount Olympus to finish what she started."

"Burza can try whatever she wants. She won't make it pass the doorman over there. Even if she does, how is one person going to storm Mount Olympus? It would never work. Send a message to the rest of the Olympians. Get them back here and soon," Bellona whispered.

Athena nodded and stepped into the elevator. Bellona waited for Eris and Eirene to walk towards the elevator, and she followed behind them. Was this all a trick? Would Eris and Eirene distract them, so Burza could strike? Bellona looked back towards the security guard, who was still on that damned phone.

"Make sure no one else enters Mount Olympus today," Bellona ordered. The security guard looked up and nodded. Underneath her hood, her eyes shined. Something told Bellona that the security guard was a lot more intelligent than she was letting on. "If they insist on visiting, let me know."

The security guard nodded again and looked back at her phone. A small smirk came to her face. Bellona studied the security guard, and the doors of the elevator closed. Bellona looked back at the two other goddesses. She just hoped that they weren't about to make the worst decision of their immortal lives.


	39. What is Peace

Annabeth knew that she wasn't in the company of friends. Her eyes slowly moved to study the other occupants in the room. Her gaze focused on the most harmless: Sarah. The demititan was sitting in a chair at the corner of the room. Sarah held ice to her jaw, and her eyes were focused on the Iris message in front of her. Annabeth only heard bits and pieces of the conversation, but it sounded like one of the other demititan leaders was giving Sarah a lecture.

They had met up with the rest of the Sixth Legion and made their way to the training base for the Sixth Legion. Annabeth hadn't been allowed to wander around, but she wasn't too surprised. The Sixth Legion did not trust her. They wouldn't want her poking around their top secret base.

Annabeth's eyes moved to the other corner of the room. Arcadia had Aquitaine pretty much pinned into the corner and was talking in rapid Latin. The goddess had been extremely tense, ever since they sent a message to her. Annabeth sighed and looked at the ground.

A further search of the old wolf clan base showed her a couple of maps and pictures of the two camps. Between those maps and the fact that the Council's army had just disappeared, Annabeth had a bad feeling for what the camps were about to go through. She already sent Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter a message, but she wasn't allowed to leave, until the doctor cleared her.

The doctor, Avaris, was washing her hands at the sink. She had stopped by each bed and seemed to look over all of the demigods. Annabeth wasn't quite sure how many members the Sixth Legion had, but most of them seemed to have some kind of injury. Avaris turned off the sink and walked towards Annabeth.

"How are you feeling?" Avaris questioned. She felt Annabeth's pulse and then examined her eyes. Annabeth looked down, unsure of how to answer the question. Physically, she felt a little weak but otherwise fine. Mentally, she wasn't even sure where to start.

Annabeth trusted Eirene and helped with anything the goddess asked, only to be stabbed in the back. Was there a sign that she didn't see? How could she have been tricked so easily? Annabeth finally spoke, "I'm okay."

"You seem to be dehydrated and exhausted. Here," Avaris said. She handed a canteen to Annabeth. After a moment of staring, Annabeth took the canteen and took a small, hesitant sip from it. Upon realizing it was water, she relaxed and drank more. "A couple of bruises too. No internal bleeding though."

"I'm okay, really. You should focus on your injured," Annabeth said. Her eyes moved towards the beds that littered the room. Avaris watched her for a moment and looked around the room as well. "How many casualties?"

"Not as many as I thought," Avaris replied. She closed her eyes. "Is it true that Aquitaine is a member of the wolf clan? I saw the tattoo, but I can't believe it."

"She is," Annabeth confirmed. Avaris slowly opened her eyes and nodded. "What is so important about the wolf clan? I've heard of the stories and the prophecy, but everyone seems to revere the wolf clan."

"There is a reason that many barbarians clans try to stay near Rome. The city of Rome still holds great power from the old empire. That power finds its way to the leaders: a curse and a blessing. Some leaders can never die, unless their child delivers the killing blow. Some can never lose battles, as long as they take incredible losses. These blessings are worth dying for," Avaris explained.

"If Greece wasn't such a dangerous place for demigods, many of these clans would go there. Everyone wants to draw upon the powers of old. The wolf clan mastered this power, and that is why they were on top of the world for so long. They strengthened those that swore fealty and destroyed those that didn't," Avaris continued. While she was looking at Annabeth, it seemed like she was a thousand miles away. Avaris shook her head and took a deep breath.

"You didn't swear secrecy to Caesar. You swore it to your imperator!" Arcadia snapped. Her voice quieted the whole room. Annabeth slowly looked up. "When Caesar passed, he gave his position to Reyna! You should have told her. This is your fault!"

Aquitaine stared down at the ground and didn't say a word. Arcadia stared to paced back and forth. Talking and other sounds slowly filled the room, as everyone tried to pretend they hadn't heard the last part of the conversation.

Someone sat down by Annabeth, and she turned her head. Hylla looked at her but didn't say a word. The two studied each other. Annabeth broke the silence, "I heard that you just passed out. How are you feeling?"

"I'm mad," Hylla responded. She shook her head. "I'm pissed off at you, Aquitaine, these stupid assassins, and Eirene. I'm pissed at everyone. I just want to protect my baby sister. That is all I want to do, but I find opposition at all turns."

Hylla looked down and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a pill bottle and examined it. Annabeth studied the half full bottle. It clearly belonged to Reyna, but it wasn't with the youngest daughter of Bellona. Annabeth spoke, "I'm sorry."

"I didn't trust Reyna, but I had reason not to. I refused to work with her though, and that was unfair of me," Annabeth continued. "If the two of us could have put our hatred and pride aside, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"If we all just worked together, this wouldn't be happening," Hylla muttered. She buried her face in her hands. "I don't know where to go from here. Reyna is missing, and I don't know where to find her. I had a dream that told me she is safe, for now. I'm not sure if I can trust my dream or not."

Annabeth nodded. She knew the daughters of Bellona well enough to know that they would tear the world down for each other. Nothing would stand in Hylla's way of finding her little sister. Hylla was an absolute powder keg when it came to family, even more so than Reyna was. Hylla jut knew how to control herself better.

"I have to back to Camp Half-Blood and help them. I sent them a warning,but I need to be there," Annabeth said. A deep sigh left her, and she looked at the ground. Hylla glanced at her and slowly stood. "We'll find Reyna. I promise."

Hylla didn't respond. She looked down at the ground and rested her head in her hands. Annabeth looked up at Arcadia. The goddess was still in the middle of her lecture, but Aquitaine had not looked up once. Annabeth slowly stood and walked towards them. Upon seeming to sense her, Arcadia stopped talking and turned around.

"I talked to your doctor. I need to get going," Annabeth said. Arcadia took a deep breath and nodded. She snapped something in Latin, and Aquitaine visibly flinched. After a few moments, Aquitaine turned and walked away.

"I'll take you," Arcadia offered. She let out a deep, tired breath. Annabeth slowly studied the bandage around Arcadia's leg. Golden Ichor was starting to seep through the bandage again. Arcadia placed a hand to her stomach and looked completely exhausted.

"You're hurt," Annabeth stated. Arcadia shook her head. "Look, you're hurt badly and need to rest. I can make it myself."

I told the champion of Clotho that I would keep an eye out for you. I am going to keep my word," Arcadia said. Her eyes moved towards the ground. Annabeth studied the goddess in front of her. Could she really trust Arcadia? Immortals hadn't exactly been kind to her lately.

"When did you talk to Sally?" Annabeth questioned. She didn't think that the Sixth Legion had gone anywhere near Camp Half-Blood, so how did Arcadia run into Sally. It couldn't have just been by accident.

"The champion of Clotho saved me. I owe her a debt, and I will repay it by keeping an eye on you," Arcadia said. She closed her eyes for a few moments. Annabeth looked down. She needed to make sense of everything, and to do that, she needed to be alone. The Sixth Legion needed to stay as far away as possible.

"I can't trust the Sixth Legion," Annabeth stated. She looked up and met Arcadia's eyes. "I can't trust your leader. I can't even trust the things that I thought was right. If you feel like you need to repay a debt, you can do that by taking me to Camp Half-Blood. That's all I need."

"Understood," Arcadia said. She grabbed Annabeth's arm roughly. Annabeth blinked and felt the world scream around her. She forced her eyes close, and when she reopened them, she was in a dark place. Annabeth quickly looked around and stared at the darkness around her. Where had Arcadia taken her?

Annabeth looked down at the ground and took a deep breath. She almost choked on the heavy air, and in a terrifying moment, she recognized where she was: Tartarus. How had Arcadia taken her here? Was it another trap?

"The enemy of my enemy," a voice whispered. Annabeth turned around and stared at the woman in front of her. Shadows played around the woman's face, but she couldn't make out who it was. "That is the same thing I told a young, unbroken daughter of Bellona. It still rings true now."

"Metis," Annabeth whispered. She slowly looked around. "How did you do this?"

"The mind processes things at a much faster rate than the body. You and Arcadia will arrive at Camp Half-Blood in a second but not before we finish this conversation," Metis explained. "It does not take long to collect power here, if you know how to. Leaving this place will take centuries, but it is easy to reach out into the minds of demigods and warn them."

"I don't need a warning or for you to mess with my head," Annabeth said. There was no way to make out Metis' features, if it actually was Metis. "Let me go."

"You cannot trust Reyna. You know that. You've known that for so long now, but I can tell you how to destroy her," Metis said. Annabeth shook her head and turned away. "Reyna is going to destroy Olympus and everything that it stands for. It is up to you to stop her."

Annabeth tried to speak, but she couldn't. Metis made a noise that sounded like a laugh, and she continued, "Do you remember that piece of paper that you found in Reyna's pocket, after you destroyed Kronos? It was the same paper that made you realize she was going to kill your friends. If you stab her in the chest with her sword and repeat those very words, you will send her blackened soul straight to Tartarus."

"Why are you telling me this?" Annabeth questioned. She looked down at the ground. Annabeth remembered the exact words that had been on the paper. She remembered how Reyna's sword felt in her hands. It felt right, and that scared Annabeth.

"I was only a few words away from ending Reyna's miserable life. Then, I heard a sword. The last thing I saw was my own blood hitting the floor in front of me. I woke in this wretched place," Metis replied. "I was in Eirene's temple, and only one person knew about that. Eirene saved Reyna. Why?"

"You can stop with these mind tricks. I am not going to fall for them," Annabeth said. Something that resembled a smile appeared in the shadows in front of her. Annabeth took a step backwards. She just wanted to be away from Tartarus. The memories were coming back from the deepest, darkest parts of her mind.

"Eirene wants peace. What is peace?" Metis questioned. Annabeth shook her head and tried to block out the voice. "I never had a problem with you, Annabeth Chase. You just stood in my way. I actually kind of like you. That is why I want to warn you about Reyna. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and I am your friend."

Annabeth closed her eyes again and felt air on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself outside of Camp Half-Blood. A shaky breath left her. Arcadia glanced at her and started to glow brightly. Annabeth looked away, and the goddess disappeared.

Annabeth slowly looked up at the hill of Camp Half-Blood. She glanced behind her and then practically ran up the hill. Annabeth wanted to see Percy again. She wanted to make sure he was okay. She wanted to see Sally again. All Annabeth wanted was to see that her friends were okay. If they were, she could focus on getting Tartarus out of her head.

As Annabeth made it up the hill, she expected the worst. Instead, everything was normal. Nothing was on fire, and everyone was okay. A deep breath left Annabeth, and she started to walk down the hill. She would reconnect with her friends and find out a way to save the world, one more time.


	40. Before the Storm

"Honestly, you guys make me feel like a mother sometimes," Zara said. She carefully set the pile of pizza boxes down onto the table. The poor pizza delivery man looked as if he had been struggling underneath the weight of the food, but he seemed a little upset when Zara had grabbed it from him with no problems. Zara opened the top box, and a horrific sight met her eyes. "Okay. Who put pineapples and sardines on the same pizza? That is absolutely disgusting."

"Guilty," Dominic said. Zara shivered and closed the pizza box. She handed the atrocity over to the son of Ares. While he was technically a Roman, Dominic absolutely hated his short time at Camp Jupiter. Anything related to the Romans was thrown out of his life, to the point where he had completely destroyed the skin on his right forearm. He also refused to be called a son of Mars.

"That is disgusting," Theo commented. Dominic smirked and opened the pizza box. He grabbed two slices at once, made eye contact with Theo, and ate both slices without breaking eye contact. Theo finally shuddered and looked away. It was hard to tell if he was more disgusted by the pineapples or the fact that his fish friends were being eaten.

"Don't feel bad shorty," Dominic said. Theo rolled his eyes and looked down at the notes that littered the table. "I can't help that I have four more inches of godly glory than you do. What are those notes though? They look new."

"I've been working overtime with watching everyone's dreams," Charles replied. He opened one eye and looked at them. The son of Somnia studied the pizza boxes. "Which one is the gluten free one?"

"It's the bottom of the stack," Theo answered. He picked up the pizza boxes, and Charles grabbed the bottom one. Charles nodded gratefully and opened the box. He tore the lid from the box and placed half of the pizza to the side for Pia. Their doctor was nowhere around, so she was probably still with her two patients. Zara told everyone that dinner was ready, but none of them seemed to pay attention.

Zara closed her eyes. It had only been a few hours since they brought Reyna in. They had entered her dream only a hour ago, and with some luck and manipulation, they were able to pull Hylla into that same dream. Reyna needed to know that she could trust them. They were running out of time though.

The peacekeepers were stuck. They knew that Eirene was going to retreat into her temple and not be any trouble. She would keep Eris subdued as well. That left them with the problem of how exactly to storm the gates of Mount Olympus. Getting up the elevator wouldn't be a problem. Getting to the throne room would be.

"Look, I'm just saying that Theo is six feet of hot sea water," Charles said. Zara blinked a few times and started to zone back into the conversation. After a moment, she decided it would be better not to. Gods knew what they were talking about.

"All the ladies do love sea green," Theo commented. He glanced at Zara and smirked. "Isn't that right? Or, do you prefer dirty water brown?"

"It's chocolate brown," Dominic snapped. He rolled his eyes and then went back to his pizza. "You guys are the worst. This is why Beleza never wants to hang out with you."

"She's too busy trying to impress Burza, and we all know how that's going," Theo said. He smirked and leaned back in his seat. Zara watched them and felt her pocket vibrate. She frowned and grabbed her cell phone. While it was true that demigods and cellphones really didn't mix, monsters didn't scare Zara. Those mythological creatures were nothing. The real monsters were mortals with power, just like those that had tortured her.

Zara shook her head and took a deep breath. She opened her phone and placed it to her ear. Zara spoke, "Do you need an extraction, Neith? Is everything okay?"

"No," Neith answered. She let out a soft chuckle. "No. I'm fine, but everything is not okay. Eris and Eirene just rolled up to Mount Olympus and were practically given the red carpet. Athena is going to get all of the Olympians gathered back on Mount Olympus. We don't have a week for Burza to heal."

"I'll let everyone know. Did they recognize you?" Zara questioned. She made it to her feet. Theo glanced up at her and frowned. Zara looked at him and shook her head. "Get everyone together for an emergency meeting. Eris and Eirene are at Mount Olympus."

Theo left the room without another word. Charles stood and followed behind him. Dominic sighed deeply and dropped his slice of pizza. He stood, and after a moment of debating, he grabbed the slice of pizza and shoved the entire thing into his mouth. Dominic hurried out.

"They didn't even pay attention to me," Neith replied. "I recorded their entire conversation and sent it to your laptop. Make sure our visitor hears it. Stay safe."

"You too. We'll figure out our next step and call you," Zara said. She hung up and sighed tiredly. Zara stood and cleared off the table. Upon hearing footsteps, she turned and saw Camila. The daughter of Hades stared at her with wide eyes.

"I heard about the meeting, but Burza's awake," Camila said. Zara stared at her fellow peacekeeper in shock. Burza wasn't suppose to be awake for another week. Their doctor was going to have an absolute fit. Camila glanced at the pizza and grabbed a slice. "Where's Pia?

"I thought she was in the infirmary," Zara replied. If Pia wasn't in the infirmary with her patients, she was probably passed out in her bed. Pia had been working herself extremely hard the past couple of days. "How is Burza awake? I heard how bad her injuries were."

"They were suppose to. Damn. I owe Dominic twenty bucks now," Camila said. She ate her pizza and sighed softly. Camila turned and hurried away. Zara finished clearing the table and made her way to the infirmary.

Things were moving too quickly. They needed to be able to sit down and make a long, thoughtful plan. They couldn't be rushed. Reyna still needed to be convinced to join them. Mount Olympus needed to be properly scouted and mapped out. Zara took a shaky breath and stepped into the infirmary.

Zara slowly looked around. Her eyes moved to the right side of the room. Beleza was sitting by Burza and talking to her softly. From the opposite side of the room, Zara could feel the power of charmspeak. She slowly walked towards the two.

"Keep breathing calmly," Beleza whispered. Her eyes moved towards Zara, but her attention quickly moved back to Burza. "I know everything hurts right now, but you need to keep your breathing calm. Don't move your right arm either. Keep relaxing."

"I'm fine," Burza wheezed. She blinked rapidly, but her eyes slowly moved towards Zara. Burza tried to move, but she cursed in pain and pressed a hand to the brace on her left knee. Her right arm was in a sling.

"You are the exact opposite of fine," Beleza said. Her hand rested against Burza's face. "And, you're burning up. Eris went too far this time. We're going to make her pay for what she did. I promise you that."

"Not if I can't move," Burza muttered. She rested her head against the pillow and groaned in pain. A string of curses left her mouth. The door to the infirmary opened, and when Zara looked up, all she saw was a blur. Pia appeared at their side and placed a hand to Burza's face.

"Why are you awake?" Pia demanded. A small smirk came to Burza's face, and Beleza rolled her eyes. The sick feeling in Zara's gut settled. Burza was acting like normal, and everything was going to be okay. "I didn't give you enough pain medication for you to be awake. Your back is still broken, and your arm is broken even worse. I don't know how you're going to walk on that knee. Eris just about knocked your brain out of your skull!"

"Hey," Burza interrupted. She gently grabbed Pia's arm. "I'm okay. Everything hurts, but I know I'm in good hands. What is the plan?"

"For you to rest," Pia answered. She shook her head and sat down in a chair. "I can only put a bandage on your broken bones, at this point. I've done all of the healing that I can. Why did I hear that Eris and Eirene are at Mount Olympus?"

"Mount Olympus," Burza demanded. She tried to sit up but yelled in pain. Both Zara and Beleza gently pushed Burza back onto the bed. Pia placed a hand to Burza's head and started to chant. Between her chants, she looked at them.

"One of you get Charles. She needs to go to sleep," Pia said. Burza tried to speak, but Pia gave her a harsh look. "You need to go to sleep and heal. Your body has been through too much."

"I can help," Burza argued. She tried to grab Pia's hand. Zara gently intercepted Burza's hand. They needed the daughter of Jupiter to rest and not hurt herself anymore. "Don't make me go back to the dreams."

"Charles can change the dream for you," Zara promised. She rested her head against Burza's. It took a few moments for Burza to look at her with hazy and pained eyes. It was clear that she starting to be dragged back into unconsciousness. "You need to rest. We'll destroy your father, when you're ready. Until then, we'll figure something out."

Burza looked like she wanted to argue, but her eyes started to close. The pain was clear on her face, and beads of sweat were appearing on her forehead. Charles appeared next to them, and Zara quickly pulled away. She watched Charles place both hands to Burza's temples. It only took a few seconds for the daughter of Jupiter to slip into a hopefully peaceful sleep.

Pia pulled away and almost collapsed. Beleza caught her and sat her down in a chair. Charles glanced at them and spoke, "You might be the one who needs to sleep. You've been pushing yourself hard."

"If all of you would stop getting injured, I would be fine," Pia muttered. She rested her head back against the chair and sighed tiredly. After a moment, Pia stood and ignored all of their protests. "We need to get to the meeting."

Zara nodded her agreement, but her eyes moved to the other side of the room. Reyna was curled up on her side and in a deep sleep. There was no telling when she would wake up, but Zara hoped it would be soon. They pulled Reyna from her dream, but Reyna hadn't even been able to stay awake for a full minute. She had been through too much, and it just broke Zara's heart.

Zara looked down and followed her fellow peacekeepers out of the room. Was she just being a fool? Could they really trust Reyna to side with them and turn her back on everything that she knew? Zara sighed and made it back towards the meeting room. The table that had been covered in pizza boxes was now covered in war plans.

"It's time that we storm the hell out of Mount Olympus," Hilk stated. The son of Iris looked at all of the pictures of the Empire State Building. Everything in the lobby and outside was completely mapped out, but they had no clue what Mount Olympus looked like. They had no clue who was on Mount Olympus.

"We need someone who has been on Mount Olympus before. That is why we must wait for Reyna to be awake. She can help us," Zara insisted. Dominic shook his head and stared down at the table. It had been their debate for awhile. The peacekeepers weren't exactly sure if they could trust Reyna to actually go through with destroying the Olympians.

Beleza and Burza were the only ones who hadn't made up their mind. That left the ten others divided in their vote, and they were in a deadlock. Since Burza was unconscious, her vote wouldn't really matter. Beleza was their deciding vote, and she was just listening to everything quietly.

"I agree that we need someone who has been on Olympus, but at the same time, we have leverage. Let us get rid of this notion of that we can work together with Reyna. She is still a loyal Roman. I'm telling you that right now," Dominic stated.

"Loyal to the people or loyal to the gods?" Charles interrupted. Dominic shook his head and stared down at the table. "I've seen her dreams first hand, and it is chaos. The gods are not her friend anymore. We cannot force Reyna to work with us by using her sister's string as leverage. That threatens her family, and threats to her family are not taken lightly."

"Reyna told me that her sister is the only reason that she took Atropos' offer," Zara added. "If we threaten Hylla, I don't know what Reyna will try to do. I do know that it won't end well for us. If Neith was here, she would agree with us."

"Reyna wouldn't dare to do anything against us, if she knows that we can kill her sister with a snap of our fingers," Camila said. "We need a decision on this and soon. Who knows what Eirene and Eris are saying to the Olympians?"

"Those two are going to sell us out, to save their own skins," Theo commented. He crossed his arms. "What if we did some of our own damage control? We have Eirene's plans. Leak them to the camps."

"That might work," Vasicio commented. The son of Athena rubbed his chin and hummed softly. "If we send Eirene's plans to the camps, they should argue with the Olympians for working with her. It should divide them further. We just need to get the Olympians alone long enough to strike."

"I know we wanted to take out Zeus first, but Burza's out of it. There is no way that she can kill her father," Charles said. "We need to decide who would be another good, first target."

"We're not ready to take out my mother," Vasicio said. "Artemis will be too hard to find and protected by her Hunters. Apollo could be an option. Dionysus too."

"I think my father went back to Camp Half-Blood," Asher interrupted. He looked up from the flask that rested in her hands. "Unless we want to storm the camp, we're going to have to draw him out too. We still have to strike, before all of the Olympians get back."

"Aphrodite," Camila said. She looked up. Silence filled the room, and everyone looked at her. "She would be the easiest to ambush and fight, but her absence on Mount Olympus will be noted. It will tear the Olympians apart. Are you okay with that, Beleza?"

"I'm perfect with it," Beleza said. She looked down. "But, what if we're able to strike down Zeus tomorrow?"

"Unless you know a magical cure for a broken back, there is no way that Burza will be in any shape to be on Mount Olympus tomorrow," Pia said. A frown came to her face, and she crossed her arms. Understanding seemed to dawn in her eyes. "You want me to put a bandage on it."

"Only if it won't hurt you too much," Beleza said. Zara glanced around at the other peacekeepers. They look just as confused as her. Beleza looked around the table. "Children of Apollo have the ability to fully heal an injury, for only a few hours. It's like a spell of sorts."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Pia explained. "I can heal Burza's broken back, but after a few hours, it's going to start to break apart again. It's going to be some of the worst pain that she has even felt, but she would have full movement in her back, for those few hours. Doing this would normally kill the child of Apollo, but with my string, I should only fall unconscious."

"This still doesn't solve our dilemma with Reyna. We need her information on Mount Olympus, and we need it tonight," Dominic said. He leaned on the table. "We have to decide if we can trust her or not."

"Reyna can claim whatever she wants. She might say that she will work with us, only to stab us in the back," Beleza said. "It's like Theo always says: you can plant your flag on whatever ground you want, but until you defend that ground, your word is nothing. I have a plan to see if Reyna is willing to work with us and stay true to her word."

Zara looked down at the table, but out of the corner of her eyes, she saw all of the peacekeepers thinking about the words. Vasicio spoke, "Let's heard the plan and take a vote on it. If we have a majority, we'll start the plan as soon as possible. One way or another, we are going to bring this world one step close to a new age."


	41. Better Angels

Waking up hurt a lot less than Reyna was expecting. Granted, she wasn't quite sure what she expected. The last real memory she had was Eris taunting her. Everything after that was just a large, jumbled mess of dreams and maybe a minute or two of consciousness. Reyna slowly opened her eyes and stared ahead.

Reyna was curled up on her side, and a blanket had been thrown over her. She was facing a wall but could hear soft talking in the background. Reyna slowly rolled herself onto her back and forced herself into a sitting position. Sharp pain hit her right side, but it didn't stop her from sitting up.

Reyna looked down at herself. She was wearing shorts and a plain, white shirt that didn't belong to her. A bandage was wrapped around her forearm, from where Seva had stabbed into it. Reyna traced the bandage and moved her hand to the side of her head. There was a few stitches near her temple.

A glance around the room showed there was only one other occupant: Burza. The daughter of Jupiter was asleep and wrapped in a plethora of bandages. She seemed to be in a much worse shape than Reyna. A small radio near Burza played some kind of talk show, but it was too quiet for Reyna to make out. The door to the room opened, and a short woman entered the room.

The woman walked towards Burza and examined her. She placed a hand to Burza's face and sighed softly. The woman spoke, "You're awake."

It took Reyna a moment to realize that the woman was talking to her. She slowly studied the woman, who turned towards her. Reyna spoke, "Where am I?"

"The peacekeeper base. My name is Pia," the woman answered. She looked at Reyna with kind, blue eyes. Her hands ran through her dark blonde hair almost nervously. Reyna nodded and slowly laid back on the bed. Her armor and weapons were nowhere in sight. Even though Pia looked much smaller than her, something told Reyna that Pia wouldn't be an easy fight.

Reyna stared up at the ceiling and remembered Zara talking to her in a dream. Zara offered her a position with the peacekeepers. Then, Hylla had entered the dream. Hylla told Reyna to keep herself safe, but how was Reyna going to do that?

If Reyna didn't work with the assassins, she wasn't quite sure what they would do. Zara said that they would let Reyna leave, but could she really believe that? Could she really trust that the assassins would let her go? They wanted to destroy the Olympians. Even if Reyna wanted to work with them, could she?

Reyna's entire life was spent in the service of the Olympians. That was how almost every demigod spent their life. They protected the Olympians from threats that the Olympians were too busy to deal with or couldn't handle themselves. Was Reyna twisted and broken enough to work with the assassins? Did she have to be? The Olympians ruined her life. They ruined the lives of so many demigods.

As her heart started to race and breathing became hard, Reyna rested her face in her hands. A pit started to form in her gut. Could she actually go against the Olympians? Reyna didn't owe them a damn thing. She had just about given her life for them. She walked through Tartarus figuratively and literally for them.

"May I?" Pia asked. Reyna slowly looked up. Pia was holding a chart and studying her. She slowly raised a hand and gently pressed it against Reyna's head. "You're not running a fever anymore. We were able to get you some water, but you need to get some food as well. We should have leftover pizza, or would you like something else?"

Reyna didn't respond. She watched Pia lower her hand, and the door opened. Two more people walked into the room. One was Zara, who was holding onto a laptop. Upon seeing Reyna, she smiled. The other was a man. He had graying hair, despite the fact that he only looked to be a few years older than Reyna. His eyes were grayer than his hair.

"This is Charles: son of Somnia," Zara said. Reyna watched the three people in front of her and didn't say a word. Pia placed a water bottle on the table next to Reyna, and then, she walked towards the opposite side of the room. Charles followed behind Pia and sat next to Burza. He placed a hand to Burza's forehead and closed his eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Reyna answered. Zara looked at her and sat down in an empty bed. She opened her laptop and looked down at it. Reyna slowly looked around the room. After a moment, she grabbed the water bottle and slowly opened it. She took careful sips and tried to study her surroundings.

Pia and Charles were no longer focused on her. Zara seemed to be focused on her laptop, but her gaze move towards Reyna every so often. Reyna stared down at the water bottle and tried to think of a way out of her situation.

"You'll have to forgive me for not believing you," Zara said. Her gaze stayed focused on her laptop. Reyna slowly looked at Zara. "You begged Atropos for death. I know that everything isn't fine with you."

Reyna shook her head and looked down. She had been so close to giving up her position. Part of her wished she went through with it. She was tired of fighting and tired of the pain. Instead. Reyna had heard her sister's name, and she knew that had to keep fighting. Hylla deserved happiness. Hylla deserved an opportunity to live a life of peace with her wife. It didn't matter if it meant working with the assassins or with the Olympians. Reyna would find what worked best for her, and she would help destroy the other side.

Reyna took a pained breath. At the moment, she was vulnerable. Her weapons and armor were not with her, and she was injured. For now, Reyna would play along with the assassins and figure out if she wanted to actually work with them. Could she destroy the Olympians?

The Olympians ruined Reyna's life. She saved Olympus multiple times, only to be declared an enemy of the very place that she had saved. Artemis wanted nothing to do with her. Athena seemed to like her one day, tolerate her the next, and then hate her on the third. Reyna's own mother didn't believe in her. None of the immortals really seemed to care about her, other than Lupa.

Lupa never changed how she treated Reyna. The wolf goddess didn't want to lose Reyna as an ally. She told Reyna to do what was best for her. If Reyna did work with the assassins, she needed to make sure that Lupa was spared, somehow.

There was also the camps. Zara assured her that the camps wouldn't be able to do anything to stop the assassins, but without knowing the plan, Reyna couldn't quite trust those words. According to Zara, there would be a swift and unstoppable attack on Olympus that would cripple the Olympians. They clearly wanted to take out Zeus. Reyna wasn't sure if they could really do it though.

"It's time for a new age," Zara stated. She turned the laptop around and started to play a video. Reyna slowly looked up and stared at the video. Her mother and Athena were standing close to each other. They were standing across from Eris and Eirene.

"Burza has Kronos' sword?" Athena questioned. She shook her head. "Did she take it from you, or did you give it to her?"

"I gave it to her," Eirene whispered, and she buried her head in her hands. Reyna studied the video. It seemed like the immortals were at the lobby of Mount Olympus "I thought I was doing the right thing. Then, she disappeared with the rest of the assassins."

"Burza was the perfect Roman; therefore, she had to die. I convinced Zeus of that," Athena said. Reyna looked down. Why was a Greek goddess that had no place with the Romans getting involved with Camp Jupiter's business? "We set the ambush for her and her army, and we led them to their deaths. Burza reminds me of Reyna, but she may be more dangerous."

"Our plan worked with Burza. Is that why we thought it would work with Reyna?" Bellona questioned. Reyna slowly looked back at the video. "We pulled away the help from Camp Jupiter and allowed it to fall. We hoped that Reyna would be killed defending her home. Instead, we helped further her descent into madness."

Reyna closed her eyes and let out a deep, angry breath. She knew that the Olympians had allowed Camp Jupiter to fall, when it was first attacked by Ouranos' army. They wanted to protect Camp Half-Blood. That was what Rhea had told her, but that sounded like a lie. Did they want to kill Reyna, so she couldn't be a vessel for Ouranos? Why would they put the lives of everyone at Camp Jupiter at stake?

"In my opinion, you fought tooth and nail to avoid death," Zara said. She stopped the video. "I'm sure some immortals thought they could use you, so they provided help here and there. Then, the Olympians decided to pull help away from Camp Jupiter, in an attempt to kill you. From what I've seen, that's near impossible. At some time, Atropos put a claim on you and kept you from death. I think it is your fate to do this. We need our twelfth."

Reyna shook her head and didn't say a word. A gentle hand grabbed her shoulder, and Zara continued, "I understand that you are upset. I don't want you to make a decision while you are upset. We have some clean clothes, if you want to take a shower. There's food as well."

"What happens if I say no?" Reyna questioned. She slowly looked up. "What are you going to do if I say that I don't want to work with you? I don't believe for one second that you are just going to allow me to leave peacefully."

"I know it's hard to believe, but we wouldn't stop you," Zara said. She stood and glanced at the other side of the room. "We're not like the Olympians. We understand how you feel. Each of us has been in the same position as you. We all sat there and wondered if we could really turn our backs on the world that we swore to protect. Could we turn our backs on the people that we fought beside? All of us did, each for our own reasons."

"I was saved from a long life of torture and gods know what else," Zara said. She looked at the other side of the room. "Burza walked in a time where Greeks and Roman were at each others' throat, even if they didn't know it. She thought that she could protect her home, if she destroyed the Greeks. It put her at odds with Jupiter."

"Pia wandered the world and practiced her healing," Zara continued. "She gained a small cult following, and the camps became threatened by it. Camp Half-Blood created a quest to put a stop to it. The cult protected their leader, even if Pia didn't want it. The Greeks tried to kill Pia and almost succeeded. Charles would use his powers to put dying people to sleep and change their dreams to something peaceful, so they would die happy. For some reason, Hades didn't like that, and he sent his Furies to handle Charles. He won't tell us what they did to him, but the scars all over his body tell a story."

Reyna remained silent and stared at the ground. Even if they did manage to destroy the Olympians, there would still be fallout from the camps. They would try to avenge the Olympians, and what would the assassins do then? Reyna sighed and slowly scooted towards the edge of the bed.

Zara offered her hand. After a moment, Reyna slowly grabbed it and was helped to her feet. She winced in pain and took a few steps forward. Pia glanced back at her and studied her. Then, the doctor turned back towards Burza.

"Come on," Zara said softly. She walked out of the room. After a moment, Reyna followed and looked at her surroundings. Why did they want Reyna to work with them so badly? It sounded like they could find any angry or disgruntled demigod to work with them and get their so called twelfth. According to Zara, one was going to stand aside for Reyna. They already had twelve, so why did they need another?

Reyna stared at the ground walked down the short hallway. Zara came to a sudden stop and opened a door. Reyna glanced around and saw that there was only ten feet in between each door, like they were in a hotel. Zara stepped into the empty room.

Reyna followed and looked around the room. There was a bed that had her armor on it, and the armor looked like it was repaired. Her weapons, minus her sword, was on the bed as well. Zara motioned to another door in the room and spoke, "There's the bathroom, if you want to take a shower. I'll find a pair of clothes for you. They may be a little big though."

"Why me?" Reyna asked. Zara quickly looked at her. "You have twelve right now, without me. You want me to join you though and become the new twelfth. Why me? Why can't you just grab some demigod off the street and use them or use who you have now?"

"They don't know what we have all been through," Zara said. She sighed and looked Reyna right in the eyes. "We do not want a twelfth that we can control and will do whatever we say. We want someone who has experienced the injustice of the Olympians. We want someone who understands how it feels to give everything and then be left to die. We want someone who will not make the same mistakes that the Olympians have. As for needing a new twelfth, it's all about the cycle."

Reyna nodded slightly and slowly leaned against the wall. It would be good to take a shower and clear her head. The decision in front of her was monumental. Would she work with the assassins and destroy the Olympians, or would she stop the assassins and save those that ruined her life?

"I'll give you some time alone. We'll leave some food in here for you," Zara said. She turned and started to walk away. Zara suddenly turned back around and reached into her pocket. She pulled out a necklace. "I almost forgot. We repaired this for you."

Zara handed over the necklace, and Reyna slowly took it. She stared down at her father's dog tags and then the coin that Zara had given her. Reyna put on the necklace and spoke, "Thank you."

"I'm sorry we couldn't get you away from Eris sooner. I'm sorry for what she did to you," Zara whispered. Reyna slowly looked up and nodded. Her hand moved to her father's dog tags. He told her to let being a Roman guide her. Being a Roman meant protecting her family, like Lupa told her to do. Reyna closed her eyes. She would need to find out who her family really was. Then, she would do everything in her power to protect them.


	42. End of an Age

As Reyna heard a horn, her eyes snapped open. She blinked a few times and lifted her head from the window. After taking a shower, she was given some food and taken on a small tour of the base. Most of the other peacekeepers introduced themselves and quickly went back to their business, which looked like preparations for war. After the tour, a wave of exhaustion hit her. The last thing she remembered was going to take a quick nap. This was not where she expected to wake up.

"I told you that you couldn't drive," someone said. Reyna slowly looked at the front of the van. Zara was gripping onto the steering wheel and weaving in and out of traffic. Burza was watching with a smirk on her face. Her eyes moved to the rear view mirror. "You woke Reyna up as well."

"I thought that you could turn on left," Zara began. Burza laughed and laid her head back. She sighed painfully and studied Reyna in the mirror. Reyna focused on the assassin. After a moment, she dropped her head back into her hands. Reyna felt better than when she had fallen asleep, but that didn't explain why she was in a car. "How are you feeling, Reyna?"

"Where are we?" Reyna questioned. She rubbed her forehead and slowly looked up. Even though she didn't really remember meeting all of the assassins, she knew that she hadn't agreed to a field trip. Burza glanced back at her and smirked.

"We have some plans to keep," Burza replied. The car came to a sudden stop, and Reyna slowly looked outside the car. She stared at the building in front of them. Burza got out of the car and walked towards the trunk. Reyna just stared up at the Empire State Building.

"I don't want to pressure you, but you have to make this decision soon," Zara said. She got out of the car. Reyna slowly pulled herself out of the car and looked at Zara. The assassin was busy digging through the duffel bags in the trunk. "Your gear is in here, whether you want to help us or not."

"Help you with what?" Reyna questioned. Her gaze moved to Burza, who was examining a sword: Kronos' sword. Burza's eyes almost seemed to be flowing with electricity, and she rubbed the sword. An evil smile came to her face. A cold feeling settled in Reyna's gut. She looked back at the Empire State Building and then higher up, at Mount Olympus. "You're going to kill Jupiter."

"Pretty much," Burza replied. She walked into the Empire State Building. Zara glanced at Reyna and then followed after her fellow assassin. Reyna slowly studied the duffel bag that was in the trunk. Upon opening it, she found that her armor and a few weapons were inside. Her sword wasn't inside though, which meant Eris probably had it.

Reyna stared down at the duffel bag. She wasn't sure if she could work with the assassins or not, but they had given her an out. All she needed to do was walk away. Reyna closed her eyes and grabbed the duffel bag. She swung it over her shoulder and slammed the trunk shut.

Reyna couldn't trust her thoughts and emotions. Everything was too jumbled. There was too much pain and betrayal. Reyna could only trust her instincts. She turned and hurried into the Empire State Building.

The lobby was completely empty. Zara was examining a keycard and the elevator. Burza glanced back at Reyna, and another smirk came to her face. She spoke, "You can put your armor on now. We can wait an extra minute or two."

"Thank you," Zara said. She gave Reyna a small smile. Reyna didn't return the smile. She focused on putting her armor on. It wasn't as hard as she was expecting, as most of the pain came from dull aches all over her body. None of the pain seemed to be seriously crippling though.

As Reyna finished putting on her armor, she grabbed the rod that hung from her belt and flipped it into a javelin. For once, she had a tight grip on her weapon. Reyna flipped the javelin again and watched it turn back into a rod. She clenched her right fist, with no difficulty whatsoever. A frown came to her face.

"Come on," Burza said. Reyna slowly looked up. Both of the assassins were waiting for her in the elevator. Reyna quickly grabbed her weapons and stepped into the elevator. Zara inserted the key card into the elevator, and the doors closed.

Reyna leaned against the wall and slowly clenched her right fist. How was she able to fully make a fist? She hadn't been able to, ever since Atropos cut into her arm. Reyna closed her eyes. She wasn't seeing things. She couldn't be.

Reyna grabbed the rod again and gripped it tightly. Her eyes slowly opened. Reyna glanced at Burza and spoke, "How are you back on your feet so quickly? You were a wreck when I saw you only a few hours ago."

"Pia is damn good at her job," Burza replied. She crossed her arms and winced in pain Burza shook her head. Zara watched them in concern. "All of the Olympians should be out and about. It's a straight shot to my father."

"I'll keep a lookout," Zara said. Reyna closed her eyes and rested her hand on a knife at her side. She rubbed her thumb over the handle and finally opened her eyes. The rest of the ride up the elevator was in silence. Burza was staring at the ground and seemed to be lost in thought. Zara kept eyeing Reyna, as if she expected her to suddenly lunge and attack them.

The elevator opened, but nobody moved. Reyna was eyeing the two assassins in front of her. Zara was staring back at her. Burza glanced back at them and finally walked out of the elevator. Reyna pushed herself off of the wall and followed behind Burza, with Zara taking up the rear.

Reyna slowly looked around Mount Olympus. It didn't look any different than it did on the day that she ran to rescue Zeus' life. The only difference was that Mount Olympus was completely empty. She didn't see any Olympians or minor gods in sight. Where were they? Burza had said it was a straight shot to her father, but there was no way that could be true.

"Keep watch," Burza ordered. She glanced back at Zara. "The two of us can handle this. Just keep an eye out and watch everything fall into place."

Zara nodded and backed away. She seemed to disappear into the shadows. Reyna slowly looked back at Burza, who was already half way to the throne room of Mount Olympus. Reyna cursed softly and followed after the former praetor.

What was Reyna even doing? Why had she gone onto Mount Olympus with the assassins? All she had to do was walk away and never look back. Instead, she put herself in an impossible situation. Reyna sighed and stared down at the ground.

Reyna couldn't even look up from the ground. Would it be possible to just turn around and run from Mount Olympus? What if she just attacked Burza from behind? What if she actually helped Burza kill Jupiter? Could she do that?

Reyna saw the ground beneath her change and realized that they had stepped into the throne room. She stopped walking and slowly looked up. Burza glanced back at her and smirked. The former praetor nodded to Reyna and stepped further into the throne room. Reyna swallowed painfully

Everything still felt wrong. She wasn't sure why she could easily make a fist with her right hand. She wasn't sure why no one was on Mount Olympus. Her eyes moved towards the ground, and a frown came to her face. There was something wrong about the ground.

It took her a few moments to realize there was no longer a small crack in the ground. It had first been made when Ouranos split the ground and threw her from Mount Olympus. Reyna shuddered at the memory. The ground was mostly repaired, but on her last visit, there had still been part of the crack. Something told her that the Olympians hadn't repaired it completely, so where had it gone?

Reyna slowly looked up and stared ahead. Zeus sat on his throne and stared down at them. His gaze moved from Reyna then to Burza. No other Olympians were on their thrones. Were had they all gone? Why was Zeus alone?

Reyna felt the hair on the back of her neck stand, and she glanced to her right. Lighting was building in both of Burza's hands. Burza threw lightning at her father and grabbed onto Kronos' sword. She flipped it in her hands. Reyna reached down for her rod and flipped it into a javelin.

Before she could take a step forward, she watched Zeus throw lightning at Burza. The former praetor dodged under it and threw her own bolt of lightning. Reyna backed away and watched the two trade lightning. She looked around, expecting someone to burst into the throne room, but they were all alone.

A yell caused Reyna to look back. She watched lightning slam into both Burza and Zeus. It didn't seem to effect Zeus so much, as he stumbled backwards and seemed off balanced. Burza was thrown backwards and slammed straight into a pillar. Kronos' sword fell from her hands and slid across the floor. Reyna lunged for the sword and picked it up.

Reyna stared down at Kronos' sword and slowly examined it. She focused on the Golden Ichor and blood, her blood, that had not been cleaned off of the blade. Reyna closed her eyes and remembered all of the pain that the Olympians had put her through. They never trusted her and never believed her.

After taking a deep breath, Reyna glanced to her right. Burza was slowly getting to her feet, but she was clearly in pain. Reyna doubted that the former praetor would be able to stay on her feet. Zeus had caught his balance, but his attention was on Burza.

Reyna gripped the sword and then stood. She turned and stabbed Zeus directly in the chest. Reyna slammed him into the pillar and gripped the sword tightly. Zeus stared down at the sword and then looked at her in surprise. His face twisted into a sneer, and he threw her backwards.

Reyna barely caught her balance, but someone slammed into her from the side. She fell to the ground and quickly rolled onto her back. Reyna watched lightning that was clearly meant for her slam into Burza, but Burza caught the lightning and throw it at Zeus. It caught her father directly in the chest and threw him backwards.

Burza rushed forward and grabbed onto Kronos' sword. She pulled the sword out of his chest and used it to decapitate her father. Zeus' head hit the ground, and his body followed a moment later. Burza fell to her knees beside her father and stared down at his corpse. Reyna closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She clenched both of her fists.

Something about the entire situation still felt wrong, but Reyna couldn't help but feel some kind of pressure inside her disappear. Truthfully, she hated the Olympians with every single fiber of her being. It felt so right to finally get all of the anger out and help kill Zeus. Reyna turned her head and spoke, "Holy shit. Did we just do that?"

"Not really," Burza replied. She laughed and slowly stood. "Don't be too mad though. We weren't sure if we could really trust you, so we had to test you."

"Test me?" Reyna questioned. She looked down and clenched her right fist again. Was that why something felt so wrong? Reyna slowly looked back at Burza. "You lied to me."

"We had to see where your loyalties lie," Burza answered. She smiled and grabbed Reyna's shoulder. Reyna met Burza's eyes. "Charles made a dream for us, to see what you would really do. If you would have betrayed me here, we would have kept you asleep until we stormed Mount Olympus and ended my father's life. You're not mad, are you?"

Reyna looked down at the ground and shook her head. She wasn't quite sure if she was mad or not. Part of her felt relieved, almost happy, that she had stabbed Zeus, even if everything was fake. It was therapeutic really. The other part of her was scared and concerned that she had given in to the temptation so easily. Reyna spoke, "I get it. You don't really know if you can trust someone until you fight by their side in battle."

Burza smiled again, and it seemed to be a legitimate, happy smile. She gripped Reyna's shoulder and spoke, "This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Two former praetors taking on the world together. You'll be our twelfth, and we'll lead this world to a new era."

"We just have to find a way to make you guys into gods," Reyna commented. Burza smirked and picked up Kronos' sword. She ran a finger across the blade and eyed it hungrily. Reyna closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. "When are we doing this?"

"When you wake up," Burza replied. "We have one shot at this, and after Jupiter is destroyed, we pick up the pieces. We'll dip in the River Styx and grab a golden apple from the garden of Hesperides. If that doesn't work, we have other plans. Beleza is the one with all of the details though. I just do what I'm told."

"You're joking, right? A daughter of Jupiter is taking orders from a daughter of Venus?" Reyna questioned. Burza looked at her and laughed. A small smile came to Reyna's face. "If you're anything like me, you would probably strangle a child of Venus before allowing them to tell you what to do."

Burza smirked and spoke, "You're right. Beleza's special though. Anyway, we should get you awake and get you food. We need to storm Mount Olympus soon, and it's not going to be easy. But with you by our side, we can take on the world."


	43. Decisions

Reyna's eyes snapped open, and she let out a pained breath. Her eyes shot around the room and focused on the three people near her. Zara sat on her left and was watching her in concern. Charles sat to her right. One of his hands rested against Burza's forehead. The former praetor was still unconscious. Charles removed his other hand from Reyna's forehead. It seemed like Charles' eyes were glowing, but they slowly returned to their normal color.

Reyna slowly tried to sit up, but pain in her side stopped her. She cursed in pain and slowly laid back on the bed. Reyna almost wished that she was back in her dream and mostly pain free. Instead, she was back to cruel reality, injured and in a base full of assassins. She still didn't know if she could trust the assassins completely, but so far, they had treated her well enough.

"How are you feeling?" Zara asked. Reyna shook her head painfully, and despite the pain in her side, she forced herself into a sitting position. Zara handed her a small cup of something that smelled foul. Reyna grabbed onto the cup and slowly drank it. The drink was so foul that she almost spat it out, but as she forced it down, the pain in her side instantly numbed. "The aftertaste will be worse. It does the job though."

Reyna nodded and coughed painfully. She was handed a water bottle and slowly took a few sips. Reyna's eyes moved towards Burza. The former praetor was covered in bandages and didn't look like she would be moving anytime soon. Reyna spoke, "Burza said that we were going to Mount Olympus as soon as I woke up, but it doesn't look like she's going anywhere."

"Pia will make sure that Burza is back on her feet, and since we can trust you to watch Burza's back, I feel a lot better about this entire thing," Zara admitted. She stood and offered a hand. Reyna took it and was gently pulled to her feet. She placed a hand to her side and winced in pain. Part of her was glad that she was away from Eris. The other, smaller, part of her wanted to find the goddess and take revenge.

Anger had being building in Reyna's chest for awhile, ever since Seva had betrayed her. Reyna couldn't seem to get over the anger, and it just kept building. She had been able to control her anger as of late, but for some reason, she couldn't now.

Reyna took a step forward and instantly winced in pain. She looked down at her kneecap and could see the bruises around her knee. Reyna vaguely remembered Eris kicking her kneecap right out of place. Zara spoke, "How do you feel?"

"Everything hurts," Reyna admitted. She let out a pained breath. Zara gave her a kind look and a gentle smile. Reyna returned the smile, but her eyes focused on the next person who walked into the room. She recognized Beleza, even though the two had only exchanged a greeting.

Beleza studied Reyna for a few moments and then spoke, "I'm glad to see you're awake. We'll be holding out meeting soon and going over everyone's role on the assault on Mount Olympus. Before that, I imagine you'll want to send a message to your sister."

Reyna studied Beleza for a few moments and then finally nodded. Part of her didn't believe they would really allow Reyna to talk to her sister. Zara spoke, "We'll find Hilk, and he'll help you send a message."

Reyna nodded and was led out of the room. As she left the room, she saw Beleza was practically staring her down. She met Beleza's gaze, but the assassin finally smiled at her. There was something in her smile that Reyna couldn't identify. Before Reyna could really focus on it, she was led down the hallway.

"I still wish I had pulled you away from Eris earlier. She is an absolute monster," Zara said. She looked down and shuddered. "I wanted to get you away from her so badly. I couldn't stand the things that she did to you."

"It's okay," Reyna interrupted. She met Zara's eyes. "I'm not mad. You saved me from Eris, and you probably saved my life by doing that. Eris knew exactly what to do, and she enjoyed it. She is a monster."

"Well, we are demigods, and I think you know what we do to monsters," Zara said. Reyna slowly looked at the demigod next to her. There was something cold and evil in Zara's eyes, but it all seemed to be directed at Eris. Reyna swallowed painfully and quickly looked away.

Zara stopped in front of a room and knocked softly on the door. After a few moments, it opened, and Hilk looked at them. He nodded and pushed himself away from the door. He spun around in his office chair a few times and then looked at them.

"I need to send a message to my sister, and if it's possible, I need to send a message to the Sixth Legion. I have to make sure they're safe," Reyna said. Hilk and Zara exchanged looks, and Zara finally nodded. She exited the room.

Hilk pushed himself towards a fountain in the corner of the room. He dipped his right hand inside, and upon removing his hand, he snapped his fingers. Water droplets flew from his hand and caught itself in the air. It slowly formed an Iris message with a blank background.

"Just say the name," Hilk said. He stood from his chair and walked towards the door. "Make sure that the person you're talking to ends the message on their side. It will return the message to a blank template for you, and you can just say another name. If you do end it, I have to come back in here and make another template. That's a lot of effort that I don't want to go through."

"I understand. Thank you," Reyna said. Hilk nodded and closed the door. Reyna studied the door. She didn't believe for one second that they weren't listening in on the message. That just meant that she needed to be vague. Reyna looked at the blank Iris message. "Show me Hylla Ramirez Arellano."

Mist slowly covered the blank Iris message, and it all fell away to reveal Hylla. Her older sister was standing over a desk and staring down at a few spread out notebooks. Reyna tried to think of what she could say. The two had spoken in the dream, but she wasn't quite sure what to say now. Reyna finally spoke, "Hey."

Hylla jumped and then slowly looked at the Iris message. She studied Reyna and stared, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Hylla spoke, "Reyna? Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," Reyna promised. She shifted and winced slightly. Hylla gave her a sharp look, and Reyna almost smiled. "Everything hurts, but I'm fine. I can't tell you where I'm at. Just know that I'm safe."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Hylla said. She studied Reyna. "The assassins rescued you from Eris. Are you working with them?"

Reyna looked down. She didn't expect her sister to immediately jump to that conclusion. Reyna finally looked Hylla in the eyes and studied her for a long moment. She spoke, "I'm doing what I have to."

"And what do you have to do?" Hylla questioned. Reyna shook her head and didn't say a word. Hylla looked down and nodded. "Alright. I just have to trust you. I'm going to do that. Are you seriously hurt though? I need to know."

"Their doctor healed a lot of damage that Eris did," Reyna responded. "My knee and side hurts the most, but it's nothing that I haven't dealt with before. You have to promise me that you are going to stay safe. Don't do anything stupid in an attempt to find me."

"You know that I can't promise that," Hylla said. She smiled slightly. "You can't promise it either. Danger follows the two of us wherever we go. And, I would do anything for you."

"That's what worries me," Reyna said. She crossed her arms and looked down. Reyna wouldn't be able to live with herself if Hylla was killed because of her. "Please just promise that you won't come find me until I tell you that it is safe."

"Reyna, what are you going to do?" Hylla asked. Reyna shook her head and closed her eyes. After a minute of silence, Hylla sighed. "Alright. I promise. Just promise me that you'll be safe to. I love you."

"I love you too," Reyna said. Hylla studied her for a moment and looked like she wanted to say something. She finally sighed and then forced herself to smile. Hylla ended the Iris message. Reyna frowned and watched the Iris message in front of her turn back into a blank template. "Show me Arcadia."

The Iris message slowly changed once again and showed Arcadia. The goddess stood with her brother, and the two seemed to be in the middle of an argument. Reyna cleared her throat. Arcadia quickly turned her head and stared at Reyna. Then, she grabbed onto Tyre's arm and practically shoved him out of the room.

"Imperator," Arcadia greeted. She slammed the door shut in Tyre's face and then turned towards Reyna. "Where are you? I can find you and take you back to our base."

"Not yet," Reyna replied. Arcadia studied her for a few moments. Reyna sighed and slowly sat on the table near her. She looked down at the ground for a few moments and then finally forced herself to look up. "Do you trust me? I don't mean do you trust me because you're the second in command to the imperator. Do you actually trust me?"

Arcadia studied Reyna for a few moments. Her eyes seemed to be taking in the room that Reyna was in. Arcadia finally sighed and spoke, "I do trust you, Reyna. I can do whatever you need me to."

"Keep the Sixth Legion safe," Reyna said. She leaned back and sighed in pain. "Keep yourself safe as well. Seva can't be trusted."

"I know. Aquitaine knew that Seva was the real leader of the Council, but she didn't tell us. How do you want me to punish her?" Arcadia questioned. Reyna looked down. "Imperator, she betrayed your trust."

"She did," Reyna confirmed. She sighed tiredly and rested her head in her hands. "Aquitaine knows all about Seva though, and she knows all about the clans. If Aquitaine is willing to give you all of that information and turns out to be telling the truth, we will hold off on punishment. If she doesn't tell you what you want to know, it's up to you what happens."

"You want me to lead?" Arcadia asked. Reyna lifted her head and met Arcadia's eyes. She nodded. "As you wish imperator. At the moment, we are at the training base for the Sixth Legion. Sven has offered his help, but I told him to keep himself safe for now. Something is brewing, imperator."

"I know," Reyna said. She sighed and looked down. "Just know I'm safe, for now. Things are going to happen soon, and I don't know how it's going to turn out. Try to stay safe."

"I will," Arcadia said. She stared to lift her hand, but after a moment, she lowered it. "Reyna, I know you feel lost in the chaos and just want a way out. You need to remember what made you such a good Roman. Remember what made you worthy to lead the Sixth Legion. Don't lose yourself in the darkness."

Reyna looked down and swallowed painfully. It was taking all of her willpower to keep her thoughts focused on what was happening in front of her. She couldn't focus on the pain or anger that filled her veins. Reyna spoke, "I won't. Thank you."

Arcadia smiled slightly and ran a hand through the Iris message. Reyna closed her eyes and slowly stood from the table. She stepped out of the room and looked down the hallway. Hilk was sitting in his office chair, but he held a pillow in one hand and a bright pink pool noddle in the other. Across the hallway, another one of the assassins, Asher, sat in his own chair. He also held a pillow and pool noodle. A third assassin, Theo, stood in between the two.

"You two know the rules. The first one knocked out of his chair loses," Theo said. He whistled, and the two assassins rushed towards each other. Reyna watched the scene in front of her and frowned. The assassins were just like normal teenagers, other than their plans to murder all of the Olympians. Theo glanced at her. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," Reyna said. She looked down and fixed the bandage around her forearm. "I've been worse though. I'm worried about Burza. She doesn't look like she's in good shape."

"She's not," Theo admitted. He watched Hilk and Asher fight each other with the pool noodles. When that seemed ineffective, the two used their pillows to hit each other. "Pia has a plan to keep Burza on her feet, for a few hours."

"We have one shot at Zeus then. What happens if we fail?" Reyna questioned. Theo seemed to think about it, and he finally sighed. Reyna glanced at Theo. She could see the similarities to Percy in his features, but Theo also held the look of a man who had seen death in the face and succumbed to it.

"I don't know," Theo admitted. "There is a lot of planning that has gone into this. If those plans were ruined, we could recover quickly, but I don't know what losses we would take along the way. We have our strings, so death wouldn't be an option, unless an Olympian got a hand on our strings. There are fates worse than death though, and our parents would put us through that fate."

Reyna nodded and watched Asher launch himself into Hilk. The two tumbled to the ground. Asher jumped to his feet and spoke, "I win. That means I get to chose where we eat at for the next game night. Sorry Theo. We're getting sushi!"

"You launched yourself from the chair," Theo stated. Asher turned towards him and tried to argue. Theo held up a hand. "That doesn't count, so you two will have to try again."

"After the meeting," Vasicio interrupted. Reyna turned and looked at the son of Athena. He met her eyes and nodded to her. "We're all ready, if you are."

"I am," Reyna said. She followed the assassins into a large meeting room. Camila and Dominic were arguing with Charles and showing him a magazine. Reyna took an empty place at the table and watched nine of assassins gather around the table.

Reyna slowly looked at each of the assassins. When she went on her quick tour of the base, she made a point to remember all of their names and who they were the child of. Reyna didn't know who the twelfth was, but she knew there was a twelfth. That was who she was suppose to replace, but no one told her why. Where was the twelfth assassin?

The door behind them opened, and Pia stepped into the room. She looked Reyna over once and then nodded. She stepped beside Reyna and spoke softly, "How are your injuries?"

"Better than I was expecting," Reyna answered quietly. Pia nodded and glanced back at the door. The rest of the assassins were staring at the door, even though they tried to hide it. After a few moments, Burza limped into the room. The daughter of Jupiter limped towards the table and leaned on it.

"What is everyone staring at?" Burza questioned. She studied them for a few moments and then smirked. "It's going to take more than a broken back to keep me down. Are we gong through with this plan or not?"

"We are," Beleza confirmed. She looked around the table. "To bring everyone up to date, Eris and Eirene were seen on Mount Olympus. They spoke to Bellona and Athena, and they went to speak to Zeus. We know that Athena tried to send messages out, but Hilk has been running interference where he can. Reyna and Burza are going to Mount Olympus to kill Zeus. Those two are going to have to sneak to the throne room of Olympus, and it is all of our jobs to make that as easy as possible."

"That is why the rest of us are going to be distractions where we can," Vasicio added. He looked around the table. "We do not know who all is on Olympus, but we do know that all of the Olympians have not returned yet. Those that we do not know the location of will have their temples or safe places suddenly disrupted."

"Pia is in no shape to help us, so she will stay behind," Dominic said. Reyna glanced at the doctor. For the first time, she noticed how exhausted Pia was. The doctor could barely stand on her feet and was pale. "Camila will take everyone to their destination. You have ten minutes to raise hell. Everyone know what to do? Then, why are we standing around?"

The assassins slowly left the room, leaving Burza and Reyna alone. Burza slowly sat on the table and stared at the ground. Reyna spoke, "How are you doing? You look ready to pass out."

"I'm on my feet," Burza muttered. She hissed and hit the table. "Pia said the pain would stop. She said the pain would stop and then come back even worse. It can't get any worse than this."

"It won't," Reyna promised. She gently grabbed Burza's arm. The former praetor slowly looked at her. "I have your back, and we are going to bring this world into a new age. You just have to trust me."

"You're right," Burza muttered. She nodded and slowly made it to her feet. Burza took a few steps out of the room. Reyna followed behind Burza and tried to keep herself relaxed. She hadn't even thought about what she really wanted to do, and she wasn't she wanted to think about. Reyna looked at the ground. She knew that she needed to make her decision soon, but she didn't know what the right decision was.


	44. War of Aggression

Indigo always loved her history classes in college, especially the ones about the Roman empire. She loved learning about the dictators that ruled the empire and eventually brought it to ruin. Learning how the people turned against the emperor's reign or how their guards planned the demise of the emperor that they were suppose to protect always interested her. All of those lessons never prepared her for being the assistant to a dictator.

Granted, Seva never seemed like a dictator. The two met at a coffee shop, where Seva didn't have enough money to pay for her drink. Indigo offered to pay the rest and then went back to her studies. Seva paid her back the next day with money and a drink. The cafe had been so busy that they were forced to sit next to each other. Seva questioned Indigo about the notes that she was studying, and a great friendship formed from there.

When Indigo graduated college, Seva offered her a job as a receptionist at the Council's mortal building. Upon realizing that Indigo could see through the Mist, Seva pulled her closer to the demigod side of the Council's world. From there, Indigo did everything that she could to protect Seva.

Now, things were different. Seva was withdrawn and temperamental. She snapped at the slightest thing that went wrong. The clans that didn't want to be under the thumb of this new Council were slaughtered by their brethren. Those that kept their ties to the Council were forced to sign a contract of loyalty in their own blood.

Indigo stared at the blood soaked papers in front of her. They were waiting to hear from a few more clans. The Sixth Legion clearly wouldn't be joining them, and the tribes in Germany would probably keep their loyalties to the Sixth Legion. Sven kept a tight grip on his federation of clans, and it would not be easy to eradicate them. If they decided to attack Sven's federation of clans, they would also have to deal with the demititans, as apparently Sven had family that was one of the demititan leaders.

"America does not interest me," Seva said. Indigo glanced up at her boss and watched Seva pace the room. Seva looked back at the piece of paper in her hands. "America will not interest me, until the Olympians find a new plaything and decide to move on. They will leave some of their power behind, and I will take it."

"How does that sound?" Seva questioned. She looked at Indigo and took a shaky breath. Seva shook her head and tore up the paper. Indigo watched her friend and frowned. Ever since Seva had betrayed the imperator of the Sixth Legion, she had been acting oddly. Indigo didn't know why though.

Was it because Seva also betrayed her sister and nearly killed her? Was it because she was scared on how to lead the clans now that it was clear she was the only leader? Or, was it because Seva didn't know how to fill her father's shoes? Indigo heard all of Seva's stories about the wolf clan and their leader. Seva idolized her father and wanted to be just like him. She wanted her old life back, but it seemed like she couldn't completely claim it.

"It sounds good, ma'am," Indigo replied truthfully. She stood and walked towards Seva. "If I may, are you really going to leave your sister to rot in a cell? Her injuries are pretty bad."

"Carina left me for dead," Seva snapped. She turned towards Indigo and took a deep breath. Indigo involuntarily flinched. "She killed my father and left me to die, but I lived. I lived because I cheated Fate. For some reason, I thought I could trust Carina enough to tell her how. I thought I could make up for everything that happened, but this hatred has grown inside me for years."

"How did you survive?" Indigo questioned. She placed a hand to Seva's shoulders and tried to massage the tension out of them. Seva took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly.

"I could feel death was only moments away. Before it came, a woman approached me and offered me a chance at life. She offered me a chance to make peace an everlasting thing in this world. I just had to keep Europe under control," Seva explained. She let out a deep and angry breath. The tension in her shoulders seemed to regenerate. "She gave me my string."

"Your string?" Indigo asked. Seva shook her head and waved the question away. She pulled away from Indigo and walked towards a large map of Europe that was pinned on the wall. Indigo frowned and sat back in her chair. Seva wasn't telling her anything anymore. She kept everything to herself.

"I won't worry you with demigod matters," Seva said. She studied the map of Europe and placed a finger to Rome. "Is the Sixth Legion still defending their base?"

"No," Indigo replied. She looked through her files for a report that had been dropped off only a few hours ago. "The entrance to their base has been collapsed. There's no smoke or fire near their base, so they didn't burn it down. The report says that the collapse looks impossible to be made by demigods, and there is no sign of explosives."

"Tyre doesn't know where the Sixth Legion's base is. This has to be the work of Arcadia," Seva muttered. "The goddess was suppose to be trapped away and unable to intervene. I knew that it was too good to be true. I can't trust them."

"Oh, you can trust us," a voice said. Indigo quickly turned around and backed away. A goddess that she barely recognized as Eris stood at the door. Eris looked around the office and crinkled her nose in disgust. "It smells like failure in here."

"Leave," Seva ordered. She glared at Eris. "You and Eirene made promises to me that you can't keep. Your mortal was suppose to kill Annabeth Chase and leave my sister to me. Instead, my sister is gone. Do you know how much information she has on me?"

"Sounds like you should do something about that," Eris commented. Seva glared and opened her mouth, but Eris held up a hand. "Eirene is on Mount Olympus, begging for mercy from the Olympians. I am here to make sure that the destruction of the camps is assured, before that mercy is given."

"I already told you that I am not going to attack the camps," Seva snapped. She walked right towards Eris and stuck a finger in her chest. "I do not take orders from you. I owed Eirene a debt for saving my life, and I have more than payed my debt. I will not use my army to attack the camps."

"Unless we bring your father back," Eris interrupted. Seva stiffened and slowly looked up at Eris. "I heard the little speech that you were practicing. I know that you don't care about America, until the gods leave. That's a load of crap, Seva. You care about America. You're just too scared to actually go there and take the power you desire. That's why you need your father here. You're too much of a coward to do anything without him."

"Shut your mouth!" Seva snapped. She turned away from Eris and stormed towards the opposite side of the room. "Indigo, show her out. I'm not helping the peacekeeper crusade anymore than I already have. I held up my end of the deal. Eirene did not."

Indigo glanced at Seva and nodded. She walked towards Eris. Indigo wasn't quite sure what she was going to do against the goddess,but she would do what she could. She spoke, "It's time to go. I will show you out. Please do not come back here without an invitation."

Eris rolled her eyes and grabbed Indigo by her neck. She slammed Indigo into the wall and squeezed tightly. Indigo gasped and hit at Eris' hand. She tried to pry the hand away from her neck, but Eris was like a statue.

"Why are you trying to be a hero?" Eris questioned. She looked at Seva. Indigo slowly looked at her boss. Seva stared in shock and looked unsure of what to say. "You're not a hero, Seva. The wolf clan has never been heroes. They've been the monsters that stalk the night and keep the balance in the European world. There is no need to flip the script now. Your sister has tried to be the hero and just look at where that has gotten her. Do you know what the Sixth Legion is going to do to her?"

"Let her go," Seva whispered. Indigo slowly looked at Seva. She was no longer being choked, but she could barely breath. It seemed like if Eris applied anymore pressure, she would snap Indigo's neck. "Eris, let her go. This is between you and I."

"I want you to see what it is like to be the hero," Eris said. She laughed. "You're trying to be a hero in a story that you don't know the ending to, but I know the ending. I'll play spoiler for you. The peacekeepers are going to go rogue and attack Mount Olympus. They will succeed or fail, but I don't care about that. I care about the chaos that will happen afterwards. That chaos is when you are going to attack the camps."

"I am not going to attack anything. It doesn't matter who you hurt or kill," Seva stated. Eris looked at Indigo and rolled her eyes. She released Indigo and shoved her into Seva. Indigo wheezed for breath and tried to calm herself down. Seva grabbed her and gently stepped in front of her. "Leave us alone."

"If the peacekeepers compete their task, the world as we know it will completely change. We will be thrown into a new age, but you will not see that new age. They are going to kill you," Eris promised. She walked towards the door and stopped. Eris turned around and smiled coldly. "If they fail, they will still kill you. You hold control over every single army in Europe. Do you not see how much a threat that makes you?"

"It makes me a powerful ally to have," Seva interrupted. "Your peacekeeper wants peace, and I have provided that for a very long time. Do not act like they would suddenly attack me and take my place."

"They're not good at making friends," Eris said. She smirked. "You can continue to believe whatever you want. The only thing that matters is if you work with me or not. If you don't, blood is going to pour from this room. Your army will fall to its knees before the peacekeepers. All those hopes that you had to truly restore the wolf clan will go up in smoke."

Seva looked down for a long moment and seemed to think about it. She finally looked at Indigo, as if looking for advice. Indigo shook her head. She heard rumors about Eris, but she also knew all the mythological stories. Eris thrived on chaos and hatred. They couldn't trust her. Seva finally spoke, "Get out."

"I'll make sure they give you a nice eulogy," Eris commented. She walked towards Seva and tapped her on the cheek. Eris smirked and then left the room. Seva took a deep breath and collapsed into a chair. She sighed tiredly and buried her face in her hands. Indigo walked towards Seva and rubbed her shoulder.

Indigo turned her head and coughed a few times. It felt like Eris' hands were still wrapped around her throat, but she needed to be focused on Seva. Indigo spoke, "Why work with her in the first place? I understand working with Eirene but why Eris?"

"Eirene had her on a leash," Seva muttered. She slowly looked up. "Someone released her from her chains. Eirene was easy to work with. She just wanted the demigods corralled. Eris only wants death and chaos. She doesn't want anyone to rule.

"Can Eirene get her back on the leash?" Indigo questioned. She sat next to Seva and gently grabbed her arm. After a few moments, Seva nodded. "Was Eris telling you the truth about the peacekeepers killing you?"

"She's just trying to scare me," Seva muttered. She slowly stood and let out a deep sigh. "I am not going to be scared by what a goddess has to say. I have been fighting to make the Council into what it should have been all along. She will not take that from me. The peacekeepers will not. I have my string."

"Does she know that?" Indigo asked. Seva nodded once. "The peacekeepers might know then. Does anyone else know?"

"My sister," Seva answered. She shook her head and hit her desk in anger. Seva grabbed a book off of the desk and flung it at the wall. "I told Carina about my string and how it came to my possession. I made her swear to never tell Caesar, but she wanted to tell the new imperator."

"What if I did destroy the camps?" Seva continued. She looked at the map of Europe. "We could take them out. No one would be able to stop us. I could take the power that is resting in America. If the gods are distracted, no one could stop me."

"That's a large undertaking," Indigo began. The thought alone of marching to America and attacking two camps was scary enough. It was unthinkable to do that without any kind of scouting done beforehand. They couldn't just command all of their armies to stop everything they were doing and fly or take a ship to America. Running the Sixth Legion out of Rome was one thing. All the clans could agree on that, but none of them would agree on attacking America.

"They will listen to me," Seva said. She nodded to herself and stared to pace. "If they don't, they will be crushed. We could use Eirene to help take the armies where they need to go. I don't want Eris to get her greedy, demonic fingers in this."

"Seva, why don't you think about this," Indigo interrupted. Seva slowly looked at her. "You didn't want to attack the camps before now. Do you remember what we talked about? The losses that we would take outweigh whatever you would gain. The camps are fortified, and we know nothing about them. Please just remember what you always said before."

"Don't question me!" Seva yelled. She turned towards Indigo and shoved her into a chair. "Don't ever question any of my decisions again. I am going to restore the glory that was stolen from my clan. If I have to go through the camps to do that, I will. Nothing will stop me."

Indigo stared at Seva and tried to speak. Instead, she heard a small beep and looked down at her phone. Indigo spoke, "The receptionist needs you."

"Go see what it is," Seva ordered. Indigo studied her for a moment and then nodded. She stood and hurried out of the office. If Indigo was being honest with herself, Seva was starting to scare her. This wasn't like Seva. She didn't just jump head first into decisions.

Indigo walked towards the stairs and started to climb down them. She needed to clear her head and think about how to convince Seva to not attack the camps. They couldn't jump headfirst into any decisions. They needed to plan everything out. That was how they made the Council, and that was how they were going to bring the wolf clan back to its full power.

Indigo stopped walking and took a deep breath. How did she get herself involved in this world of gods and goddesses? She could have been a normal mortal, living out a boring, uneventful life. Instead, she was stuck in an impossible situation.

"I should have gone back home," Indigo muttered. She finally hurried down the steps and made it to the door of the lobby. Indigo stepped into the large lobby and looked around. There was a few bloodstains on the ground, probably from where clan leaders or diplomats had brought in bloodied weapons. She would need to talk to the receptionist about making sure those stains were cleaned as soon as they happened. The Council had standards to keep at their main base.

The lobby, for once, was empty. No one was waiting to meet with the Council. Indigo looked for the receptionist and frowned. She didn't see the receptionist and then looked at the door. Sometimes, the receptionist went outside for a smoke, but a glance outside showed the guards weren't there either.

"Looking for someone?" a voice asked. Indigo quickly turned around and stared at Sparta. The member of the Sixth Legion was now sitting in the receptionist's chair and had her legs propped up on the counter. Sparta pulled out a large knife and studied it. "You know that your boss put us through hell, right? I watched your Council goons kill good soldiers just trying to defend their home."

"What do you want?" Indigo questioned. She went to grab her phone, but a hand grabbed her wrist. Indigo slowly looked back at Bristol, who grabbed her phone and pushed her forward. "You are not wanted here. Leave now."

"Oh, we are going to leave, and you are coming with us," Sparta said. Indigo stared at Sparta and then slowly looked back at Bristol. She knew that she couldn't fight them, so she tried to scream. Bristol quickly covered her mouth and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Just cut her tongue out already."

"Quiet," Bristol ordered, but it sounded like he was speaking to Sparta. He carried Indigo out of the building. Indigo tried to struggle the entire time, but Bristol had an unbreakable grip on her. He carried her outside and towards an alleyway. Indigo stared as she saw the goddess that was waiting for them. She had only seen Arcadia a few times, but the goddess scared her to her core.

"Did anyone see you?" Arcadia questioned. Bristol shook his head and shoved Indigo forward. Before Indigo could run, Arcadia grabbed her by the neck and picked her up. Arcadia studied her for a few moments. "You are going to come with us, and you are going to tell us everything about Seva and her operation. If I think for one second that you are lying, your family is going to pay the consequences."

"I heard that your sister in Ireland just had a new kid. It would be a shame if the kid had to grow up without a family," Sparta threatened. Indigo slowly looked at the three members of the Sixth Legion, and she felt tears well in her eyes. This couldn't be happening. She closed her eyes.

Arcadia dropped her. Indigo wasn't expecting it and fell to her knees. She knew there was nowhere to run. The Sixth Legion could kill her before she could blink, and there was no telling what they would do to her family. Indigo spoke, "Please leave my family alone. They didn't do anything."

"Your boss made the first move," Arcadia said. She knelt by Indigo. "She attacked our home and our family. This is retaliation. I spoke to my imperator half a hour ago, and she told me to keep the Sixth Legion safe. The only way to keep us safe is to destroy our enemies. The Council will fall, and you can either fall with them or go back home to your family and be safe. The choice is yours."

"You can't fight the Council alone, even with Sven on your side," Indigo whispered. She whimpered as Bristol picked her back up and threw a bag over her head. A rough hand grabbed her arms. "Seva will learn about this."

"She's welcome to come find you at the Amazon base," Arcadia commented. Indigo tried to look towards the goddess, but all she saw was the darkness of the bag. Bristol, who seemed to have a slightly more gentle touch than the other two, grabbed her elbow. "Let's just hope Queen Hylla isn't too upset about your boss betraying her sister."


	45. Meaning of Duty

"I don't want to be a killer," Sally whispered. She stared down at the string that was resting in her hands. Sally could feel the pain that the owner of the string went through. She could feel all of the suffering they went through in their last moments. It seemed almost impossible for one person to have gone through that much suffering. Sally slowly looked down at the infirmary.

Despite the fact that Sally was sitting near boundary of Camp Half-Blood, she could still hear Clarisse's pained snores. It had taken most of the cabin leaders working together to convince Clarisse to finally take it easy and get some much needed sleep. Before falling asleep, Clarisse told Sally about the string that belonged to the general of the damned. Apparently, Reyna made a promise to cut the string and release the general, only for Clarisse to be the one who actually had the string. Reyna's sword was at the camp though, but no one seemed willing to make the cut or even hold the sword.

"Is it not mercy?" Clotho questioned. Sally slowly looked at the Fate and then back down at Camp Half-Blood. It felt like she was a thousand steps away, and all of the campers below her were ants. Sally shook her head and tried to focus. Her eyes moved towards the dragon that was normally wrapped around the tree, but he had given them a wide berth. "How long has she suffered?"

"I know she has suffered, but I can't just kill her. If I cut her string, I end her life," Sally whispered. She looked down at the string and ran a finger across it. Flashes of the general's life appeared before her eyes. For some reason, Sally knew in her gut that the general was suppose to live to the age of twenty eight and then die in a battle that would forever hail her as a hero. She was never suppose to endure the curse that she did.

Clotho slowly reach a hand out towards the string, but before she could grab it, she recoiled. A small flicker of something, maybe a frown, came to Clotho's face. Clotho spoke, "My sisters can't even see the string. I cannot possess it, as it is long pass her time."

"Aren't you suppose to be able to see everyone's string and tell them when they will die?" Sally questioned. Clotho didn't respond and stared down at the camp. Her eyes seemed to jump from camper to camper, but they never seemed to linger. Were all the campers just string to Clotho? Did they hold no importance?

"I set the time of her life, but it has ran far past," Clotho finally replied. "I cannot see anything more. I cannot see her. When a string of a mortal is stolen from us, they fall from our reach. That is another reason that we need a champion. You heard of the Reaper's task to kill those who came back from death. The list was given by Atropos, but it was complied by a few demigods. They see what we cannot see."

"Reyna has to kill those who left the Underworld. Why do all of them have to die? Why can't they get a second chance?" Sally questioned. Clotho made a noise that could have been a laugh, but it sent chills down Sally's spine.

"We spared some of those who returned, by adding to their strings. Some cannot have their strings added to, and they must be sent back to where they came from. If we do not, they could have more power than the gods. They could cut short the life of someone who was destined for many years on this realm.," Clotho explained. "When something like that happens, it has an everlasting effect on many fates, and some of those effects we cannot see."

"How can strings just be taken or lost?" Sally questioned. "If strings are so important, why do you just let them go? Why do you let people take strings? Do you not care about the people that those strings belong to?"

"It keeps us in line," Clotho interrupted. Sally frowned in confusion. Was Zeus trying to keep the Fates in line? "One without their string can go into worlds that others can't. It keeps us all in place and hold together a very delicate balance of this world. You will not learn of it for a very long time, if you ever do. Try not to worry about it. We have more immediate things in our future."

Sally frowned. Every single time that she talked to Clotho left her more confused than before. What did Clotho mean when she said that people without their strings could go into other worlds? Sally sighed and looked down. A headache started to form.

"I can't kill someone. I won't," Sally said. She looked back at the string. "I know she suffered, but I can't kill her. That would be murder. I can't do that."

"But, you could do it to your ex?" Clotho asked. Sally tensed and slowly looked at the Fate. She still remembered that day and the look of shock on Gabe's face. If it meant protecting Percy, she would go through all of it again, but it did feel so good to remove all of the trauma and abuse from her life. "You damned his soul for eternity and sold him as an art piece."

"Are you unwilling to extend a similar gesture to someone who has suffered?" Clotho continued. Sally looked down and shook her head. It was the only way to get Gabe out of her life. He wouldn't leave, so she had to remove him. "Do you not consider that murder? Or, is it because you did not do the deed? All you did was flash a head, and your problems disappeared."

"I did what I had to do," Sally muttered. She rested her face in her hands. "I would do it again. All I wanted to do was protect Percy."

"And then you murdered the man who protected your son for years," Clotho said. Sally slowly looked up and looked the Fate in the eyes. She did not regret her decision. She wouldn't ever regret it. That didn't mean she could just end the life of someone that she didn't even know. She couldn't play the role of a god like that.

"I was backed into a corner and did what I had to do," Sally stated. "I won't explain it anymore. I won't defend myself for doing what I had to do, and I refuse to cut this string."

Clotho studied Sally for a few moments and then looked back down at the camp. She spoke, "You think of it as murder. I think of it as mercy. Someone who is long past their time only throws the balance of the world out of order. There are forces in this world that have gathered to do something that will destroy the Greek world, and the Fates are powerless to stop them. The champions must work together."

"Reyna hates us," Sally stated. She looked down at the camp. "Clarisse isn't able to get out of bed. I can't kill any of these people. What good am I as a champion of Fate?"

"My champion does not walk in death. My champion does not walk in war. You understand how fleeting and precious life is. Your sword is designed to cut the very fabric of fate, but I know that you would not cut it just because you can. You would only end a life if you really had to," Clotho stated.

Sally stared down at the string in her hand. The general of the damned suffered miserably and Clarisse said that the general was in pain every moment of the day. How could someone last that long with such pain? Was the general begging for death? Sally closed her eyes.

Sally couldn't do it. There was a big difference between removing a monster that no one would miss from the world and ending someone's life with her own hand. Sally opened her eyes and placed the sword on her lap. When Clarisse woke up, she could do it. If anyone could find Reyna, she could do it. Sally didn't have to be the one who killed the general.

"You think that the champions are meant to be killers. You think they are meant to return lost, once dead souls to the Underworld. That is the job that the Reaper was tasked with, but it does not define her. Being my champion will not define you. In fact, you are going to define what your duty truly means. Does it mean living a life watching things happen around you, or are you going to take the initiative and finish things that were started long ago?" Clotho said.

"How do I do that?" Sally asked. She looked back at Clotho, but the Fate was gone. Sally sighed and gripped the string tightly. She slipped the string into her pocket and slowly stood. The only thing she wanted to do was get her mind off of everything that had happened.

As Sally walked down the hill, she tried to calm her uneasy feeling about everything. She had told both of the camps about Eris and Eirene, but nothing seemed to come from it. The camps were on high alert, but the Olympians had not said a word. Clarisse kept making comments that they should use their position to go right to Mount Olympus and demand that something be done. That wouldn't work though.

Why were the gods so quiet on everything? This was a time that they needed to work together. All of them needed to work together. Relations with the Sixth Legion and demititans needed to be repaired and strengthened. Together, they could stand against any threat. They weren't united though. They were divided by hate and anger.

Sally looked at all of the demigods that went about their activities. All of them wore armor and their weapons, even if they were just taking Latin lessons. Everyone seemed to agree that there would be an attack, but no one knew when that attack would be. Sally sighed and changed directions, making her way to her son's cabin. Upon making it to the door, she knocked softly and stepped inside.

The cabin, unsurprisingly, was a mess. Clothes and pieces of armor littered the room. Papers littered the bed, and someone was digging through a backpack. Sally spoke, "Annabeth? What are you doing?"

Annabeth tensed and took a deep breath. She slowly stood and looked at Sally. Annabeth spoke, "I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. Percy is busy talking to Chiron, if you need to speak to him."

"I do," Sally said. Her eyes studied Annabeth. There was a pen in her right hand, and her left hand seemed like it had grabbed onto a notebook. Annabeth wore a full set of armor and had a backpack slung across her back. "I think I need to talk to you now though. Where are you going?"

Annabeth didn't answer. Instead, her eyes moved down towards one of the swords at her side. Sally stared at the sword, and if she focused hard enough, she could feel it humming. Annabeth spoke, "I have to do this. I can't stand around and allow Eirene to attack this camp. I have to find Reyna, and we have to make amends."

"I'm coming with," Sally said. Annabeth opened her mouth, but Sally held up a hand. "I have to do this. I can't just sit around and be protected by you and Percy. I am a champion of Fate, but I don't know what that means. I have to find out for myself."

"You can't get hurt because of me," Annabeth said. "I don't even know where I am going to go. I just know that I have to find Reyna and make things right."

"We'll do it, together," Sally said. Annabeth slowly looked at her. "Before we leave, we need to tell Chiron and Percy. If Percy wants to come with, we tell him that he must stay here and protect the camp. Then, we find Hylla. Something tells me that Hylla can lead us to Reyna."


	46. One Step Closer

Annabeth stared up at the temporary Amazon base in front of her and took a deep breath. The Amazons had set up a temporary base that wasn't too far from Camp Half-Blood. It was nice to have allies close by, but it also caused Annabeth's gut to twist. If something went wrong and the Amazons turned against the Greeks, it would spell doom for Camp Half-Blood.

Annabeth closed her eyes and tried to focus. She needed to find Hylla and find out where Reyna was. The two of them needed to repair their relationships, and according to the prophecy, they could only do it on the shore of their first battle. Where was the shore though, and what counted as their first battle?

Was their first battle when they had first confronted each other when Annabeth was looking for the mark of Athena? Was it when they first met at Camp Jupiter? Or, were the lines more blurred? The two argued plenty of times when they were trying to fight Ouranos, but Annabeth couldn't pin down the starting point. If it involved a shore, did it have to be near water?

Annabeth sighed deeply and forced her eyes open. She glanced behind her. Sally was pulling two duffel bags out from the trunk of her car. Annabeth quickly turned and hurried towards Sally. She grabbed one of the duffel bags and spoke, "Are you really sure about this?"

"You've been asking me that for the entire ride over," Sally said. Annabeth looked down, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sally smile gently. Sally grabbed her arm. "I am ready for this. I can't stand around during this war. I have to help."

"Terrible things happen when Reyna is around," Annabeth stated. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Sally lowered her hand and lost her smile. She turned towards the door of the Amazon base and stepped inside. Annabeth frowned and followed behind. Upon stepping into the main lobby, she immediately regretted her decision to come to the Amazon base. Her eyes shot around at the four people in the lobby.

Kinzie was sitting at the front counter and leaning back in her chair. Her eyes were examining the room as well. Bristol and Sparta stood in the corner of the room and seemed to be talking to each other. Sparta was leaning on the wall, and upon seeing Annabeth, her eyes narrowed. Bristol looked back at them, but his face remained impassive.

A fourth person that Annabeth didn't recognize stood near the door. He wore Greek armor that looked like it had been dyed black, and he wore a vest over it. Small, metal vials covered the vest, along with a few smaller weapons. His mouth was set in a frown.

"Since everyone is here, can we get to the meeting?" the man asked. His dark, brown eyes were narrowed and seemed to gaze right into Annabeth, but they quickly moved towards Kinzie. "We know where the base is, thanks to your information. Let us go."

"When Hylla is done with our guest, we'll get to work," Kinzie said. Her eyes glanced at Annabeth, as if looking for a reaction. Out of the corner of her eye, Annabeth saw a smirk come to Sparta's face, and Bristol seemed to nudge his companion. The smirk quickly disappeared. "Our Amazons are still scouting out the base."

The man remained silent and stared ahead. Kinzie studied him and sighed. Her eyes moved towards Annabeth. Kinzie spoke, "It's nice to see you two. Hylla is in a meeting at the moment."

"We can wait," Annabeth replied. The Iris message that she had sent to Hylla earlier was met with short and tense responses. Hylla paced around like a caged leopard, and if Annabeth remembered correctly, there was blood on Hylla's hands.

"Does Sarah also stand around and wait?" the man questioned. Annabeth slowly glanced at the man. She didn't recognize him, but if he was talking about Sarah, he was mostly likely a demititan. From his looks, it seemed like he was a couple years of older than Kinzie, which meant he was probably the oldest of the demititans. Why hadn't she met him earlier though?

"We usually lose track of her," Kinzie replied. The demititan nodded and continued to glare at the wall. He didn't turn the glare on them but still seemed upset. "It seems like she prefers to be alone. Has she always been like that?"

The demititan looked up at Kinzie and studied her for a long moment. Then, his eyes slowly studied everyone else in the room. A sigh finally escaped him, and he relaxed against the wall. The frown didn't disappear, and it seemed like his face was permanently set in that frown.

"Sarah was always shy and unsure of herself but never like this. The loss of Alex hit all of us hard, but it almost tore Sarah apart. Then, our leaders kept dying left and right or betraying us. Do any of you know how that effects a group mentally? Can you trust the person at your side, who you thought was a comrade? Through all of these wars, Sarah has been our rock, and it weighs down on her immensely," the demititan explained.

"Have you tried talking to her?" Sally questioned. The demititan stiffened and slowly looked around the room again. He nodded to himself and then focused back on the wall. It was like a flip had switched inside him, but it didn't seem like a good one. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, demigod. We should focus on our job," the demititan said. A look of confusion came to Sally's face. Annabeth frowned. The demititan didn't seem to realize who Sally was. Did he not actually know, or did he just not care?

Annabeth heard a noise on her right and turned her head. A door near the corner of the room opened, and an Amazon stepped inside the room. She walked over to Kinzie and whispered in her ear. Kinzie listened quietly and spoke, "I'll be back. Everyone play nice."

Kinzie and the Amazon left the room. Annabeth almost expected chaos to fill the room when the door shut behind Kinzie, but everyone remained silent. The demititan was staring down at his vest, and at regular intervals, he would remove one of the metal vials and glance inside. Then, he would put it back on his vest and focus back on the wall.

Sparta and Bristol stayed in the corner of the room. Sparta was staring at the ground and glaring, but every few moments, she was nodding. It seemed like Bristol was talking to her, but it was so quiet that Annabeth couldn't hear it. Sally glanced at Annabeth and then slowly walked towards one of the chairs. She sat down. After a few moments, Annabeth joined her.

The vibe in the room was weird. Annabeth didn't feel like they were in danger, but she didn't feel safe. Sparta was a hot head who seemed to love fights, like all children of Mars. Bristol didn't even care to look back at them. The demititan seemed like he did not like them that much.

"Why the vials?" Sally asked. The demititan stiffened and slowly looked at them. He was rolling one of the metal vials in between his fingers. "You seem rather protective of them."

"I am checking them," the demititan said. He slid the small vial back into his vest. "They hold life in them, and they must be exact. Every vial holds the same amount of medicine. One vial for each person."

"What if it takes more than one vial?" Annabeth asked. The demititan looked at her and studied her for a few moments. "Or, is it something powerful like nectar? Will it burn you up if you drink too much?"

"No," the demititan answered. He shook his head. "No. It is my belief as the doctor of the demititans. Everyone gets one vial. There are no ranks in the demititans. We are all equal, so we all get one vial."

"What if it takes more than one?" Annabeth asked. The demititan didn't answer. Annabeth studied him, but the demititan's focus moved back to the wall. Annabeth looked down and tried to find a new approach. "When I visited the base, I didn't see you."

"I was there. I saw you and your friends, even checked over on your friend when she was unconscious. I helped lead the demititans in battle. You were more focused on your mission," the demititan stated. Annabeth frowned. She still didn't remember him, but at the same time, she didn't remember many of the other demititans. They all seemed to stick to themselves, and only the leaders really spoke to the demigods.

"They worry," the demititan continued. His eyes closed, and he sighed tiredly. "They worry about how the children of the gods will treat them. They do not want to anger your parents and pay the price. That is why they do not interact with demigods. It won't ever change."

"We can change that," Annabeth stated. The demititan didn't open his eyes, but he smiled slightly. Annabeth looked down and sighed as well. She didn't quite like the leadership of the demititans. Sarah was fine, but the demititan in front of her seemed off. He also didn't seem to trust them. One of the other leaders, Ryke, was apparently an assassin. Annabeth didn't even know who the fourth leader was.

"We can," Sally agreed. The demititan slowly opened his eyes. "But, we have to get through this first. What did you mean about a base being nearby?"

"One of the assassins used it," Bristol replied. He glanced back at them and finally turned around. Bristol nodded his head towards Sally. "We do not know what she has stored there, but we were able to follow her there. It could be a base of operations or even a home. We must be careful in our search."

"If the assassins are at the base, they won't expect their door to be kicked down," Sparta said. She shifted and winced in pain. Bristol seemed to give her a look. "We can't keep waiting around, especially with the Council breathing down our necks."

"We trust the imperator," Bristol said. Sparta nodded and crossed her arms. From the look on her face, she wasn't too happy, but she was listening. The door to Annabeth's right opened, and she looked up. Kinzie stepped back into the room.

"We have a new plan," Kinzie said. Her eyes focused on Bristol. "Arcadia wants to speak to the two of you. Annabeth and Sally, I am going to escort you two to the base. There is no one there right now, but we need to move."

"What's going on?" Bristol questioned. Sparta pushed herself off of the wall and walked towards Kinzie. She sneered at Kinzie and shoved past her. Kinzie closed her eyes and seemed to count backwards. Bristol walked towards the door and stopped by her. "Sorry about Sparta. You know how she is."

"Yeah. I do," Kinzie said. She shook her head. Bristol gently stepped past her and disappeared into the other room. Kinzie closed the door and looked around the lobby. "Are you two ready to go? We don't know how long the base will be empty for."

"I'm ready," Annabeth began. She started to stand and glanced at Sally. It was no surprise to her that Sally was on her feet and heading towards the door. Annabeth smiled slightly. Sally was just as impatient as her son when it came to getting things done. Annabeth just really hoped that this base would lead her one step closer to finding Reyna and making amends.


	47. Dies Irae

Reyna leaned against the wall and stared down at the ground. She couldn't even look up at the Empire State Building. As she thought about the task ahead, her gut twisted more and more. Reyna took a deep breath and tried to relax. Her hand grabbed onto her repaired face plate, and she slipped it onto her helmet. Her eyes moved to the two peacekeepers near her.

Camila was looking around at all of the mortals that crowded the streets and rushed by. Cars raced by them, and half of the cars seemed to be blaring their horns. Camila closed her eyes and took deep breaths. She was shaking and pale. Camila spoke, "Have you two thought of an exit strategy yet?"

"It's called we will handle it," Burza muttered. She was sitting against the wall and seemed like she was unable to stand. Reyna pushed herself off of the wall and offered a hand to the former praetor. Burza shook her head, and the gesture seemed to fill her with spite. Burza slowly stood. "Try not to split open the ground. We don't need anyone to know that we are here."

"Glad to have you back," Camila muttered. She rolled her eyes and started to walk towards the shadows. She barely darted out of the way of pedestrians who almost ran her over. Burza cursed and grabbed onto Camila's arm.

Camila slowly looked back at Burza, and the two didn't say anything. Burza squeezed her fellow peacekeeper's arm. Camila rolled her eyes and spoke, "I forgive you. Now get up there and murder your father. It's time for you to back up all of that talk."

"When we are done and safe, we'll send you a message," Burza promised. Camila nodded and then looked at Reyna. She gave Reyna a nod and stepped into the shadows. The shadows wrapped around Camila, and she disappeared from sight. "Let's go. We're wasting time."

"Right behind you," Reyna promised. She watched Burza walk across the middle of the street. Burza didn't seem to care about the cars that honked at her and flew by. Reyna shook her head and quickly darted across the road. The two made it to the front door of the Empire State Building.

Reyna placed a hand to her sword. She knew there was a guard that watched the front door and controlled the key to Mount Olympus. She wasn't sure how Burza wanted to handle the guard, but something told her that violence was in the cards. Burza glanced at her and stepped into the front lobby.

Reyna followed behind and found that the lobby was empty, other than a woman sitting behind the counter. She was staring at her phone and seemed more focused on it than them. Reyna tightened her grip on her sword, but Burza grabbed her arm. Burza spoke, "Keep it sheathed. She's a friend."

"Friend?" Reyna asked. She slowly looked at the woman, who was now staring at her. Reyna clenched her right fist and was bitterly happy when she was unable to clench it fully. She wasn't in some kind of dream. Everything that she was seeing was real and not some sort of fabrication.

"Burza has never called me her friend before," the woman commented. She stood and walked towards Reyna. Hazel eyes studied Reyna closely. "You probably heard them refer to me as the twelfth that you are going to replace. My name is Neith."

"I'm sure you heard a lot about me," Reyna commented. Neith smiled slightly. There was a presence to her that was hard to identify. She felt powerful but not in the normal way that demigods did. Reyna frowned slightly and studied the woman in front of her. Neith watched her even closer.

"How does the situation look on Mount Olympus?" Burza questioned. She rubbed her elbow and cursed softly. Reyna glanced back at Burza and studied the Roman armor that Burza was wearing. It looked just like the armor that a member of the Sixth Legion would wear, and a face plate hung at her side.

The plan was for them to walk straight into Mount Olympus. Reyna would probably be able to pass, and when Burza wore the face plate, no one would be able to tell who she was. It would seem like two members of the Sixth Legion were going to meet Jupiter. Reyna took a deep breath and looked at the elevator.

"All of the Olympians aren't here yet, or they just haven't used the front door," Neith replied. She walked back towards the desk and sat down. "Hecate checked over the serum for us. I told her that I confiscated it from some kid in the lobby, and she believed me. She said that it would have worked on the barrier."

"Good. That's our back up plan. Get it to the others," Burza ordered. Reyna glanced between the two of them, but Neith didn't make any other movements. She didn't show the serum that she was talking about or elaborate anymore on it. "Reyna and I will handle Mount Olympus. You should leave, so they don't question you."

"Are you sure?" Neith asked. Her eyes moved towards Reyna warily. "I don't want to leave the two of you alone. Who knows what will happen."

"We'll destroy the Olympians. That is what we'll do," Burza said. She held a hand out. After a moment, Neith handed her the key to the elevator, but her eyes never left Reyna. It seemed like Neith didn't trust Reyna. "We'll be fine. Get out of here."

Neith nodded and finally looked at Burza. She grabbed Burza's shoulder gently and spoke, "Stay safe and watch your back. We can't have anything happening to our delicate little flower."

Burza shoved the hand off of her shoulder and rolled her eyes. Neith smiled and turned away. As her eyes met Reyna's, the smile quickly disappeared. Neith studied Reyna for a long moment, but she finally walked towards the desk and started gathering a few items. Reyna heard Burza clear her throat, and she turned around.

"You coming?" Burza questioned. She was inside the elevator and leaning on the wall. It clearly hurt for her to put pressure on her knee, and she kept rubbing her elbow. Reyna nodded and slowly walked towards the elevator. "Don't let Neith bother you. She doesn't trust demigods."

"Is she not a demigod then?" Reyna asked. Her eyes moved towards Burza, but the daughter of Jupiter remained quiet. "Is that why I am replacing her as the twelfth?"

"Yeah," Burza finally said. She sighed painfully and closed her eyes. Burza tensed up and cursed in Latin. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Her fist slammed into the elevator wall, and she walked towards the control panel. Reyna stepped inside the elevator and closed her eyes.

Despite all of the time to think, Reyna still didn't know what to do. She tried to clench her right fist once again, to assure that she was in reality. Whatever decision Reyna made would have a lasting effect on the world, and one of those choices would change the world completely.

The elevator doors closed, and Reyna let out a shaky breath. Everyone kept telling her to be a Roman, but no one told her what that was suppose to mean. Reyna tried to be a good Roman at Camp Jupiter, and that got her exiled. What was she suppose to do? A deep sigh escaped her.

"Hey, don't let Neith bother you too much," Burza said. Reyna slowly opened her eyes. "Neith is slow to trust, and Romans did a lot of things to her people. It's nothing against you. She just knows that people don't change."

"Do you believe that?" Reyna asked. She leaned back against the elevator. It felt like the elevator was ascending at the speed of a crawl, and it caused Reyna's heart to race. Burza glanced at her. "You don't think anyone can change?"

"Not at all," Burza replied. She shook her head and sneered at the wall in front of her. "If someone ever acts like they have changed, it is because they are trying to get the upper hand on their enemy. They act different and like they really changed, and when the enemy lets their guard down, the true colors will show. It is always like that and always will be."

"When I was a praetor at Camp Jupiter, I made sure we were a machine ready for war," Burza continued. She took a deep breath and sighed painfully. "A new demigod joined the legion and quickly rose through the ranks. He was powerful and impressed almost everyone."

"Except you," Reyna stated. Burza smirked and nodded. "What did you do to him?"

"I found out he was a Greek demigod, and I knew exactly what he was going to do to my camp," Burza answered. She smiled evilly. "He answered all of my questions about Camp Half-Blood. I realized they were a threat to us Romans. You've seen that, haven't you? They used you and threw you to the side. Greeks cannot be trusted. They never change."

"What about Camp Half-Blood now?" Reyna asked. She was careful to keep her face and voice free of emotions. Burza glanced at Reyna, and the smile didn't disappear. It only grew. "What happens to them, once we are done here?"

"Anyone who doesn't bow a knee will be destroyed," Burza replied. Reyna nodded slightly and looked down. Zara kept telling her that the peacekeepers wouldn't kill all of the demigods, but Burza's words said differently. "That includes Camp Jupiter. We cannot tolerate anyone to ruin the peace we are trying to create."

Reyna nodded again. Burza seemed to only be out for power, and wasn't that the case with most of the Romans? All of the great ones in history only seemed to fight for power. Was that why the gods feared her so much? Did they think that Reyna only cared about power?

Reyna sacrificed her life for them and was only given new life in exchange for working with Atropos. She did everything for them, and she did everything to protect Camp Jupiter. Reyna closed her eyes and sighed. All she wanted to do was protect her sister. She wanted to keep people safe and just stop all of the wars.

"Let being a Roman guide me," Reyna whispered. Burza glanced at her confused. Reyna looked up at Burza. The former praetor in front of her was a perfect example of the old Romans. The old Romans only cared about conquering territories to keep those that they considered barbarians at bay. Old Romans just wanted to expand their reach.

Those old Romans and their ideals died with the empire. The heart of Rome moved with Camp Jupiter,and when it moved to America, Romans were forced to adapt their ways. There was no more territories for them to conquer or discover. Camp Jupiter was forced to defend themselves from monsters that appeared at every border, and somewhere along the way, they decided to defend mortals as well.

"Don't worry," Burza said. Reyna slowly looked at her. "No one can stop us. We Romans know how to conquer the world, and with that Caesar blood in you, we are going to be unstoppable. Two former praetors are going to stand atop this world. Are you ready?"

Reyna glanced at the elevator door and remained silent. She saw the doors start to open. Reyna cursed angrily and slammed her fist into the button for the bottom floor. Then, she turned and punched Burza right in the face.

Burza fell backwards and stared up at Reyna. One of Burza's hands had been rubbing the hilt of Kronos' sword. The other hand had been in her pocket, which meant she was defenseless for a few moments. Reyna slammed into her knee into Burza's face and heard a painful crack.

"I'm sorry," Reyna said. She grabbed onto Burza's armor straps and pulled her to her feet. Blood gushed from Burza's nose, and she was blinking rapidly. Reyna slammed Burza into the elevator wall. "But, I know what you're going to do. You will burn this whole down to get your way. I'm going to do the same thing to protect my family."

"What family?" Burza hissed. She spat blood out and glared angrily. "Your sister doesn't care for you, and her wife doesn't either. Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood have turned their back on you. We saved you. Don't do this, Reyna. Don't do it. I can forgive this, if you let go of me and help me take over Mount Olympus.."

"We are Romans," Burza continued. "We were meant to take this world by storm. We allowed ourselves to crumple when we became complacent. Now is the time for a change. You heard the prophecy. That is why we gave it to you. Be the Roman that I know you are. Reyna, you are a daughter of Bellona. Roman blood runs through that veins."

"I know," Reyna said. Burza nodded and wiped the blood from her face. "I am a daughter of Bellona, and you are a daughter of Jupiter. Roman blood does run through our veins, but I am not like Caesar. I will never be like Caesar."

"You're a conqueror. That is why the gods keep trying to kill you," Burza said. Reyna lowered one of her hands. Burza smirked. "They know the power that you hold. They know that you are going to conquer them. The only thing stopping you is yourself. Reyna, just be a fucking Roman."

Reyna nodded and let go of Burza. The peacekeeper brushed herself off and placed a hand to her nose. She laughed slightly and took two steps towards the door of the elevator, even though they were still moving. Reyna suddenly grabbed Burza and wrapped an arm around her neck, locking her in a choke hold.

"I am not a Roman because my mother is Bellona," Reyna hissed. She tightened her grip and heard Burza gasping for breath. Burza tried to fight, but the pain she was going through clearly hindered her. "I am a Roman because I am going to fight to my dying breath to protect my family and to protect those that can't protect themselves."

Burza fell to a knee, and but she suddenly tried to throw Reyna over her shoulder. Reyna was expecting it, and she wrapped both legs around Burza. The peacekeeper collapsed to her hands and knees. Reyna tightened her grip even more and heard Burza wheezing. The peacekeeper wasn't going down easily, but it seemed like she was moments away from unconsciousness.

Burza hit the ground in anger and suddenly made it back to her feet. She slammed Reyna into the wall of the elevator. Reyna felt the railing of the elevator slam directly into her back, and she felt an explosion of pain. Reyna lost her grip on Burza, and the peacekeeper quickly pulled away.

Reyna fell to her hands and knees and tried to breath. The last thing she needed was for her back to act up on her. Reyna tried to relax the muscles in her back, but the pain only seemed to worsen. Burza sat against the corner of the elevator and wheezed for breath. A pained, choked laugh escaped her.

"The Greeks strike again, don't they?" Burza sneered. She laid her head back and took a pained breath. After a moment, Burza made it to her feet and slammed her fist into the elevator's buttons. "You can't even finish the job, because the Greeks allowed a barbarian to destroy your back. Why don't you understand?"

Reyna glared and tried to calm her breathing. She looked down at the ground and focused her thoughts on keeping herself calm. If she panicked, she was only going to take longer to get over the pain. Reyna needed to focus and needed to move quickly.

"I really regret freeing you from Eris. We should have just allowed her to tear you apart," Burza hissed. She rubbed her neck and then placed the back of her hand to her nose. Reyna waited for the former praetor to make a move, but Burza seemed content to stand there and taunt her. Reyna realized that Burza was in just as much pain as her, and whoever could get over their pain first would win.

Reyna grabbed her dagger from her belt and slowly made it to her feet. Burza turned her head and sneered. Lightning started to grow in her hand, and she threw it forward. Reyna slammed herself to the side and watched the lightning hit the elevator wall. She threw the dagger at Burza.

Burza dodged to the side, and Reyna slammed into her. She pinned Burza against the wall and grabbed onto Kronos' sword. Reyna stepped away and kept her hand on the sword. As the sword slid out of Burza's sheathe, Burza grabbed onto it with both hands. Reyna almost smirked. If Burza wanted the sword so badly, she could have it.

Reyna lunged forward and stabbed the sword into Burza's upper leg. Burza yelled in pain and let go of the sword. Her eyes were wide in shock and something that looked like fear. Both of her hands pressed against her upper leg, as she collapsed to her knees.

"We can talk this out," Burza hissed. She looked up at Reyna and raised one hand. "Please don't. I need to save this world. The Greeks are going to destroy it. Please Reyna. We can just leave."

Reyna frowned. Why was Burza so freaked out by the sword? Being stabbed by Kronos' sword didn't mean that a soul would instantly be cast into Tartarus. The wound didn't seem like it was fatal, if pressure was kept on it, but Burza's seemed gravely concerned. Why?

"We can save the world," Burza continued. Reyna grabbed onto the sword and tore it out of Burza's leg. Burza yelled and collapsed to the ground. She placed both hands to her upper leg, but one of her hands seemed like it was moving towards her pocket. "We can do it together!"

"Do me a favor," Reyna said. She stabbed Kronos' sword into Burza's lower leg. Burza hissed, and her right hand shot towards the sword. Her left hand stayed on her wound. Reyna grabbed Burza's left hand and lifted it from the wound. "Hold that sword for me and shut your mouth."

Reyna reached into Burza's pocket and felt a shock run through her. She almost recoiled, but she forced herself to grab onto something that was soaked in blood. Reyna pulled the item out of Burza's pocket and stared at it.

"Your string," Reyna stated. The string sent shivers down Reyna's spine, and she could see flashes of Burza's life. It threatened to overwhelm her, but she took a deep breath. The string was half cut, presumably from when Reyna had stabbed Burza in the leg.

"Don't," Burza hissed. Her eyes stared at the string and then at Kronos' sword. "You don't understand what is going to happen if this doesn't work. Every single one of the Olympians will be slaughtered. The sister that you want to protect so badly is going to die because of you. Once again, you'll ruin everything."

"There was a moment when I actually believed that I could work with the peacekeepers. I thought I could help kill the Olympians, but I can't. We are Romans, but unlike you, I'm not here to conquer anyone. It took me some time to remember that being a Roman meant doing everything I could to protect my friends and family," Reyna whispered. She examined the string and then looked at Kronos' sword.

"You lost your damn soul doing that," Burza sneered. Reyna nodded and reached out for Kronos' sword. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw lightning building in Burza's hand. Reyna grabbed the hand and pinned it to the ground. "I am not going to die to a disgrace of a Roman."

Reyna didn't respond. She stood and kept Burza's hand pinned with her foot. Reyna grabbed Kronos' sword. Burza tried to move her other arm, but Reyna stabbed that arm into the ground with the sword. She then cut the string in one swift movement. The crackling of lightning stopped, and Burza let out a pained, final breath.

Reyna slowly looked down at Burza. The peacekeeper's lifeless eyes were staring at the sword. Reyna knelt by Burza and closed Burza's eyes. She sat by the peacekeeper and stared down at the ground. All she had to do now was cut the string of eleven other peacekeepers and keep her sister safe from the backlash.

The elevator doors opened. Reyna glanced up and expected to find herself at Mount Olympus. Instead, she was back at the lobby. Reyna realized that Burza had never hit the elevator to send them back up. Instead, she only reconfirmed that they were going down. Reyna looked up and barely moved out of the way of fire.

Reyna rolled to her feet and lunged towards the door. She tried to slam her fist into any button of the elevator, but another column of fire cut her off. Reyna stopped in her tracks and then threw herself backwards. Before Reyna could get back to her feet, a sword appeared at her throat. Neith knelt in front of her.

"I knew we couldn't trust you," Neith said. Reyna remained silent and studied the woman in front of her. Supposedly, Neith wasn't a demigod. She had wielded fire though. How was she able to do that? "Do you know what is going to happen now?"

"You aren't going to destroy the Olympians," Reyna stated. Neith suddenly pulled the sword away and stood. She grabbed Reyna by her armor and threw her out of the elevator. Reyna fell to the ground and quickly rolled onto her back, ready to dodge another column of fire. Instead, Neith knelt by Burza. Neith's attention seemed to be fully on her fallen friend.

Neith whispered softly in another language and closed her eyes. Reyna slowly stood and grabbed the rod on her belt. She knew that Neith was giving her a way out, but she couldn't take it. Reyna needed Kronos' sword, and she couldn't allow Neith to leave the building alive.

Reyna flipped her rod into a javelin and waited. It seemed like Neith was blessing Burza's body, and Reyna wasn't going to interrupt it. Neith suddenly tensed and spoke, "I will not fight you over the body of a fallen friend. Leave. Or else."

"I can't leave with you alive," Reyna stated. Neith opened her eyes and looked up. Fire almost seemed to be burning in her pupils. "What are you?"

"If the Underworld rejects you, may the Duat welcome you," Neith whispered. She looked back down at Burza. Reyna cursed softly and lifted the javelin. She would feel guilt for interrupting a ritual for the dead, but at the same time, she needed to make a move. She went to throw the javelin, only to feel someone tear it from her grasp.

Reyna turned, and the end of her javelin slammed right into her jaw. She collapsed to the ground, and a knee slammed into her jaw. Reyna collapsed to the ground and felt someone wrap an arm around her throat. She tried to grab her dagger, but the grip on her throat tighten. It became hard to breath, and after half of a minute of fighting, Reyna's world faded into darkness.


	48. Dis Manibus Sacrum

"I thought I could trust you," Zara whispered. She stared down at the demigod in front of her. Reyna didn't even look up. Her eyes were focused on the ropes that were tied around her wrists. Another set of ropes kept her tied to the arms of the chair. It was possible that Reyna could stand, but the other peacekeepers would easily knock her lights out. "How many more people have to die? How many more people have to suffer until the Olympians finally feel the consequences of their actions?"

Reyna stayed silent and stared at the ground. There was no emotion in her face or her eyes. It seemed like she was ready to accept her fate. Zara wasn't quite sure what that was going to be though. There was no way that she would hurt Reyna, but the other peacekeepers probably wouldn't be so kind. Zara sighed and turned away from the demigod. Her eyes moved around the room.

Beleza was sitting in a corner of the room and staring down at a picture. Her eyes hadn't left the picture for over a hour. Zara wanted to comfort her friend, but at the same time, she hadn't even gotten over her own grief. Burza may have been an egotistical and cocky daughter of Jupiter, but she protected her friends. She didn't deserve to die alone in an elevator.

"Did she suffer?" Zara questioned. She turned and looked at Reyna. After a few moments, the daughter of Bellona looked up. "Did Burza suffer?"

"I ended it as soon as I could," Reyna replied. Then, she looked back down at her tied wrists. Zara closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Tears started to trickle down, but she quickly wiped away the tears. Zara couldn't afford to be weak at a time like this.

Zara turned and walked away from the demigod that stabbed them in the back. She walked towards her friends and stopped next to Asher. A few beer bottles were scattered at Asher's feet, and he was just staring at the ground. Zara sat by him and was offered a bottle. She shook her head.

"We can bring her back," Theo began. He was sitting across from Asher and staring down at his weapon. "We just have to take out the Olympians, and when we have control of the Underworld, we can bring her back. It will be easy."

"We need two more demigods," Vasicio muttered. He was pacing around in front of them. "One to take Neith's place and another to take Burza's. We can't do this with just ten of us."

"Why not?" Dominic asked. He stabbed his dagger into the table and twisted it. "We can storm Mount Olympus and kill the Olympians. We have Kronos' sword and nothing more to lose. Let's just get this over with."

Zara looked down and closed her eyes. This was all her fault. She trusted Reyna. She trusted that the demigod would be able to work with them, and one of her closest friends had payed the price for her stupidity. This was all her fault.

The door behind them opened, and Zara turned her head. She watched Neith walk into the room. Neith looked around the room and slowly peeled off her jacket. Zara's eyes were drawn to the tattoo of a snake that was wrapped around Neith's arm. It looked so lifelike that Zara usually expected it to jump out at them when they weren't looking at it.

Neith glanced down at the blood that still covered her hands. Her eyes then moved towards Reyna, and she spoke, "Can I have some time alone with the imperator? Zara, I want you to stay."

Zara nodded and watched the rest of her fellow peacekeepers walk out of the room. Beleza was the only one to linger, but after a few moments of staring at Reyna, she turned and left the room. Zara sat down in a chair and focused on the ground.

This was all her fault. She was the biggest advocate for giving Reyna a chance. That chance ended with one of their strongest peacekeepers dying on the way to Mount Olympus. They didn't have twelve demigods who could take over for the gods. What were they going to do?

"Where is the sword?" Neith questioned. Zara quickly stood and walked towards the opposite side of the room. She stopped in front of a table that had a towel thrown over the top of it. She lifted the towel and stared down at the bloody sword in front of her. No one had cleaned the blood off, as if they were worried about erasing what remained of Burza.

Neith walked towards Kronos' sword and gently grabbed it. She used the towel to wipe the blood away with one motion. Zara looked away and closed her eyes. A hand gently grabbed her shoulder. Neith spoke, "Mourn her. But, do not let the mourning stop you from doing your job. We do this to honor Burza."

"You don't have a leader," Reyna said. Her voice was tired and quiet. Zara opened her eyes and looked at the imperator. Reyna watched them intently and kept her face emotionless. She was tensed, almost as if she was expecting them to lash out. The peacekeepers were not like that though. They were not monsters. "Just stop before you all have to die."

Neith laughed and grabbed a chair. She sat across from Reyna and stared at her. Reyna returned the stare. Neith spoke, "Do you really think that Burza was the leader of this band of misfits? Burza may have, well I guess it's had now, the power to destroy armies, but Beleza can control nations with just her words. Theo can control the sea. Camila can control life itself, but godly power does not make a leader."

"A leader is something who does what they must for their nation," Neith continued. She placed the point of Kronos' sword to Reyna's chin and forced the imperator to keep her gaze focused ahead. "A leader will give their soul to save their people, and you did that, Reyna. You sacrificed yourself to save the world. You are so scared to lose the world that you saved. I think that is why you killed Burza."

"If the Olympians die, the world will be thrown into chaos," Reyna stated. Zara shook her head and looked away. She placed a hand to her forehead. Why didn't Reyna understand? They didn't want to destroy the world. All they wanted to do was force the Olympians to finally face consequences, and after that, the peacekeepers would become the protectors that the world deserved.

"We had everything planned out," Zara said. She didn't even look at Reyna. "I don't understand. Why would you damn this world more than it already is? We were going to take out the Olympians and keep the demigods safe. I promised you that."

"Zara, save your breath," Neith ordered. She lowered Kronos' sword and rested it on the ground. "Reyna was never going to work with us. She made up her mind that she could keep the status quo and keep her sister safe. That's all you ever wanted, right Reyna? If your sister were to die, it would just tear you apart."

"If you lay a hand on her," Reyna hissed. She stiffened in the seat. It was the most emotion she had shown since waking up. "If you dare hurt my sister, I will make sure none of you have a peaceful death."

"Am I mistaken?" Neith questioned. She looked around the room confused and then looked at the ropes around Reyna's wrist. "From here, it doesn't look like you have any power. You're tied up, still aching from that fight with Burza, and no one knows you're here. You threaten us, but you don't hold any of the cards. Hell, you don't even know what the cards on the table are."

"It's always been like that, hasn't it?" Neith continued. Reyna didn't respond, but she glared angrily. "You've never known all of the cards that have been on the table, and that's what makes you interesting. Somehow, you bumbled through and survived, only to bring change to this world. Do you think, and I do mean really think, that you were made a champion of Fate to just kill those who came back from death?"

Neith fell quiet and waited for a reaction. After a few moments, Reyna looked at the ground. Her eyes focused on Kronos' sword. Neith raised an eyebrow but never received the response she was seemingly waiting for.

"Do you think that Greek gods are the only one is this world?" Neith asked. Reyna's eyes flickered up. "There is more out there than you know. I know some of them greatly. They gave me my power with the burden of avenging them. My people ruled the world for so long, only to lose their power. My gods lost their power, and it created war. Their power fell to those who did not deserve it, and there was so much blood. The things I had to do and the people that I had to work with to try and keep peace make me sick to my stomach."

"The Olympians are going to fall soon. We saw the prophecy," Neith continued. She grabbed Reyna's jaw tightly. "When they fall, their power will scatter and create another war. There will be more deaths, like always. We were going to make the Olympians face the consequences of their actions and cast them into Tartarus. We would grab that power and make sure there was peace. There would have been no mad grab for power, while the wounded and weakened gods just watched. There would have been peace."

"You're just making excuses for power," Reyna muttered. Neith let go of her jaw and stood. She reached into her pocket and pulled out two pieces of string. Reyna glared and looked down.

"Do you know what an eye for an eye is?" Neith wondered. Reyna didn't respond. "If it was up to me, it would be a string for a string."

Neith reached into her other pocket and pulled out another string. She threw it at Reyna. It hit Reyna in the face and then fell onto her lap. Zara spoke, "We don't have to do this, Neith. I don't want to threaten her."

"She killed Burza. I think it's only fair that we kill her sister," Neith said. Reyna's eyes shot towards them. Her eyes then moved towards the string, and she tried to grab it. Neith snatched the string up and held it in front of Reyna's eyes. "It's funny really. How can someone's life be held in such a small, insignificant string? It is so easy to end a life, is it not?"

"Don't you dare," Reyna hissed. She tried to fight with the ropes and free her wrists. Zara could see the unforgiving ropes ripping at Reyna's wrists, but she knew that she couldn't help. This was Reyna's fate to suffer. "Leave my sister alone."

"You killed our comrade. Why should I not cut this string and kill your sister? After all, it's not like anyone besides you cares for her. Bellona gave the string to Eirene, and Eirene gave it right to Eris. Even Eris didn't want to take care of such a worthless string, so she gave it right to us," Neith said. Reyna glared and kept fighting with the ropes but didn't have any luck. "I'm fair though. I am going to give you a chance to keep your sister alive."

Reyna looked down at the ground and looked completely disgusted with herself. She didn't say a word. Neith stood and spoke, "We want to handle Camp Half-Blood and keep them from interfering in our business. That little barrier of theirs has protected them for years, but now, it is going to be the solution to our problem."

"I'm not," Reyna muttered. Neith nodded and grabbed Kronos' sword is one hand. She lifted it and held Hylla's string in her other hand. Reyna looked at the string and looked down. She seemed to be having an internal debate with herself. When Neith placed the string to the sword, Reyna tensed. "Wait! I'll do it. Just leave my sister alone."

"That wasn't so hard," Neith stated. She placed the string into her pocket and casually swung the sword in her hands. "I have a special serum that I want you to spread across the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. It has to be done from the inside, and your hand cannot leave the barrier. This serum will stick your hand to it, until you have made a full circle around the camp. Then, you report back to us. You have twenty four hours."

Reyna didn't respond. Her gaze just stayed focused on the ground. Neith studied her and walked towards the table at the corner of the room. She examined the weapons that they had confiscated from Reyna. Then, Neith picked up a rod.

"It is amazing how they take weapons of old and give them new uses," Neith commented. She walked towards Reyna and placed the rod to her temple. Zara looked away. This was the opposite of what she wanted. She never wanted to have to threaten Reyna. She didn't want to bring Hylla's string into the equation. "Do you know what this use to be?"

"I don't care," Reyna answered. She kept her gaze on the ground. "I don't need a lecture or for you to tell me anything else. Just leave me alone so I can use this stupid serum."

Neith slammed the rod right into Reyna's temple. The force of the blow snapped Reyna's head to the side. Blood trickled from her temple a few moments later. Neith spoke, "All I want is a yes or no answer. I don't need anymore lip. Do you know what this use to be?"

"No," Reyna muttered. Neith smiled and threw the rod across the room. Zara flinched as it landed near her. They weren't suppose to get violent. They were not like the others. Zara pushed past Neith and grabbed a small handkerchief out of her pocket. She wiped the blood from Reyna's temple.

"Good," Neith answered. She gently grabbed Zara's arm and led her towards the door. Zara looked up and tried to say something, but Neith raised a hand. "This is no longer the time to play nice. She is a Caesar, and you can never trust a Caesar. I know all too well what they are capable of, and you saw it too. Zara, you are too kind to do what must be done. Beleza will tell you of your next assignment."

Zara shook her head and slowly looked at Reyna. She wanted to help the demigod, but there was no way to. Reyna killed Burza. They couldn't work with the imperator anymore, but threatening the imperator's sister never worked. Many have tried, and it always seemed to fail. Reyna was protective of the little family that she had left. Zara just hoped that everything would work out in their favor.


	49. Shattered Innocence

"I guess the base isn't a secret anymore," Annabeth commented. She peeked out from the wall that she was hiding behind and stared at the two large men standing in front of a door. The building was nestled between a grocery store and a restaurant. The building seemed to be a store itself, but it had no signage on the outside. Blinds covered the windows, making it impossible to see inside.

The two men that stood outside the door were actively looking around for threats. Anyone who walked by them gave them a large berth. Kinzie nodded and spoke, "It doesn't seem like it. Who are they and how did they beat us here?"

Annabeth wondered the question herself, and she glanced at Kinzie. The Amazon studied the two men and seemed focused on them. Annabeth felt they could trust the Amazons, and even though the one demititan leader didn't seem to like demigods, he didn't seem like he would sell them out. Who else knew about the base though? Annabeth glanced at Sally and Kinzie, before looking back at the guards.

"We won't know until we get inside," Sally said. Kinzie nodded and moved towards the edge of the wall. Then, she stepped out and walked towards the men. Annabeth moved to other side of the room and motioned for Sally to follow. It took a few moments for Sally to follow her. "What is our plan?"

"Let the Amazon do the work," Annabeth replied. She led Sally towards the alley way that was near the restaurant. The two guards didn't seem to notice them, especially since Kinzie immediately walked over to them and started talking to them. She had produced a map and was pointing at it trying to get directions. Both of the guards didn't seem to be too interested in helping.

One of the guards whispered to the larger one. After a moment, the larger one grabbed Kinzie's shoulder and led her away, pointing out street signs. The second guard looked at his phone and sighed softly. He rolled his eyes and answered the phone.

Annabeth didn't understand the language, but she heard the caller yelling from twenty feet away. The man rubbed his eyes and hung up the phone. He walked toward his fellow guard, leaving the front door unguarded. Annabeth darted out from the corner and ran towards the door. She gently opened it and watched Sally walk inside. Then, she slipped in behind her. The door closed just as a guard turned to look at them.

Annabeth wasn't quite sure how they were going to make it out, but the only thing that mattered was the fact that they made it in. Annabeth turned towards the room and stared. Shelves covered the entire room, leaving a maze for a walk way. There was all different kinds of weapons and armors that were scattered on shelves in one side of the room. The other side held plates, goblets, and all kinds of dining ware. Clay pots covered a wall. A small counter with a register stood at the far end of the room, and a statue of a serpent rested by the register.

After staring at the statue, Annabeth made her way towards it. The snake on the statue looked so lifelike, as if someone had frozen it in time. It was curled around a half destroyed statue of someone that Annabeth felt like she had seen before. The statue had feminine facial features, and Annabeth could have swore she had seen the same, intact statue in history books. The snake's head rested on top of the figure, overseeing the entire room.

"An asp," Sally stated. She shivered, as if having a bad memory. "I've seen one like this once before, with Percy. The Amazons said this buildings belongs to one of the peacekeepers but which one?"

"I don't know," Annabeth answered. She looked around for an answer, but the everything in the room was a mix and match of different time periods. It was as if someone traveled the world to collect all of the artifacts that they could. She didn't even remember a name outside the door, so while it looked like an antique shop, it had to be a front for something else. "There's more to this place than what we can see."

Annabeth walked towards the counter and looked down at it. The cash register wasn't even plugged in and was covered in dust. Small notes covered the counter, but none of the notes seemed to be in the same language. Sally walked past Annabeth and focused on the statue. Annabeth focused back on the counter and picked up one of the notes that was in Ancient Greek.

"Caesar has yet to leave his fortress. He does not move from or leave his base. Pieces of the legion move around the world and do their business. He projects the legion as more than they are, because he fears losing the little power that he has left," Annabeth read. She lowered the note and found another one. "The Sixth Legion claims to have a new imperator, and I have seen her first hand. What happened to Caesar? What is his play?"

Annabeth lowered the notes. The handwriting on each of the notes was different, so unless the person changed how they wrote every single time, these were from different people. If the rest of the notes were like the ones that she read, whoever owned the building seemed to have scouts everywhere. Annabeth heard a creak, and she quickly turned around. She watched a wall next to the statue slowly lower.

"I never thought my life would turn into a horror movie," Sally commented. She stared down at the dark pit before them. Annabeth stared down at the stairs that led into pure darkness. After taking a deep breath, she carefully started to walk down the stairs.

It was impossible to see anything in front of her, so she was left to use her foot to carefully feel what was in front of her and walk down the stairs. From the squeaking of shoes, Sally was right behind heard. Annabeth heard another creak, and the small amount of light from the shop disappeared.

Whispers started up, and Annabeth found herself going back to Tartarus. It was just as dark as this. It was as haunting as this. Annabeth closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm her breathing. A hand gently grabbed her shoulder. Sally spoke, "I'm here for you. Open your eyes."

After a few moments, Annabeth opened her eyes. The room was now lit up by torches that covered the walls. Annabeth looked down at the stairs and stared at the pure gold that it seemed to be made out of. Sally led her down the stairs and towards a door that seemed almost as large as the wall. Annabeth gently pushed the door open and was relieved when it opened without sound. She glanced inside.

There was a large wall in front of her that looked like it was part of a hallway. Annabeth glanced to the left and right. The left side led towards a half open door, and the right side led towards a corner. Sally spoke, "I'll go to the left. You take the right."

"We shouldn't split up," Annabeth protested. Sally gave her a look and grabbed the sword at her side. Annabeth finally nodded and placed a hand to her own sword. She watched Sally moved towards the door. Annabeth slowly walked down the hallway. As she made it towards the end of the wall, she heard a scream of pain. Annabeth made it towards the edge of the wall and peeked out.

Annabeth stared at a man who had screamed in pain. He was laying on his back and staring up at two armored figures. A third person stood at the far end of the room and was pacing around. Even though they were thirty feet away, Annabeth instantly recognized Seva.

When Annabeth first met Seva, the demigod looked in control and confident. Now, Seva was pacing around and looked like she hadn't slept in days. Seva stopped walking and made her way towards the man. She spoke, "I will keep hurting you, Baufre. Tell me what I want to know."

The man, Baufre, shook his head and wheezed for breath. It looked like he was only in his late twenties, but with how mangled and twisted his legs were, it didn't seem like he would be able to walk again. His face was covered in blood, and a lot more blood seemed to be stuck in his beard.

"I want to know where she is?" Seva said. She knelt by Baufre and grabbed his face. "Where is Indigo? She was taken from my base, and I know that your master is the only one daring enough to do it. Where are they?"

"My lady did nothing," Baufre wheezed. Seva stood and nodded to one of the armored figure. They kicked Baufre right in his stomach. Baufre rolled onto his side and coughed out blood. He wheezed for breath and buried his face in the ground. "Please. She did not kidnap your friend. She has been busy."

"I know you are lying. The only question is how many bones do I have to break for you to finally tell me the truth," Seva hissed. Annabeth looked away and heard another crack. Baufre yelled again. "You have one more chance to tell me, or I am going to walk away and allow my two friends to do whatever they want to you. Did you know that these two were kicked out of their old clan, and their clan was full of cannibals and sadists. Imagine what these two are going to do to you."

"My lady did not do this," Baufre cried. He buried his face in the ground. "Please. I know nothing. Neith told me to watch over her house, as I always have. She is helping the other peacekeepers."

"I know exactly what the peacekeepers are doing. They kidnapped Indigo, to hold leverage over me. I know what they are going to do to her. I am going to do worse to you," Seva threatened. Annabeth tried to watch the scene, but she was sick to her stomach. She wanted to help, but she couldn't take on the three of them at once. "Just tell me where Indigo is."

"My lady did not order a kidnapping," Baufre whimpered. He stared up at Seva. "Please listen to me. My lady does not care about you. Neith has told me many times that you are no threat to her. She only worries about the camps and the champion of Fate."

"Which champion?" Seva asked coldly. The man whimpered and did not answer. Seva stepped on his leg, and he yelled in agony. "Tell me which champion she is worried about."

"The one in Rome," Baufre cried. Seva lifted her foot and started to paced around. She seemed to be lost in thought. Baufre slowly rolled onto his back and wheezed for breath. Seva motioned with her hand, and the two armored figures grabbed onto Baufre and dragged him away.

The two armored figures started to walk towards Annabeth, and she pressed herself against the wall. At the last moment, they changed directions and walked into another room. Annabeth almost let out a deep breath. She glanced back at Seva. Since they were alone, could she take Seva out?

"I guess Eris was right," Seva said. She walked towards a table and sat down. "The peacekeepers are going to kill me. They are going to tear my empire apart and steal away my glory. I'm not going to allow that to happen. I hold no leverage but that servant. How much does the master actually care? What do I have to do to ensure peace? Do you know, Annabeth Chase?"

Seva turned and looked towards Annabeth. After a moment, Annabeth stepped out from behind the wall and kept a hand on her sword. Seva studied her and remained silent. Annabeth remained silent as well. Seva finally sighed and shook her head.

"Do you know about the peacekeepers?" Seva asked. She looked up at the ceiling. "Twelve of the greatest demigods to ever walk the world decided to get together and destroy it. They claim it is in the name of peace, but they are being manipulated by Eirene. I was manipulated by Eirene. She saved me, and I thought I owed her a debt."

"Eirene used me too," Annabeth stated. She studied Seva. "What are you going to do about the camps? I know you have a huge army, and I know you crave power."

"I just want Rome," Seva stated. She shook her head. "My family was suppose to control Rome, and my damned sister tore that away from me. I only want to destroy the legion and then take the knife that my sister stabbed me in the back with and use it to slit her throat. Are you going to stand in my way?"

"Who are you going to hurt in your quest for revenge?" Annabeth questioned. She knew that Hylla would go to war with Seva, if anything were to happen to Reyna. She wasn't quite sure who would win that war, but it would decimate both sides.

"Whoever gets in my way," Seva answered. She laughed and looked at Annabeth. "Do you really that you or your pathetic camps can stand in my way? Do you think anyone can stand in my way? I'm going to burn this place down, and then, I am going to find the imperator. She is going to answer each and every one of my questions, and the peacekeepers won't be there to rescue her this time."

Annabeth's eyes narrowed in confusion. Seva smiled and continued," I handed the imperator over to Eris, and I'm sure you saw my sister, considering you escaped with her. The peacekeepers helped the imperator escape, and they have been oddly silent. I think they are working together."

"Reyna wouldn't," Annabeth protested. Seva smirked and raised an eyebrow. Annabeth glared and looked down. She didn't believe her own words. Despite how much she wanted to work with Reyna, she just couldn't bring herself to trust Reyna.

"I guess we'll see pretty soon. Well, you won't," Seva said. Annabeth heard a noise and quickly turned. The end of a sword slammed right into her head, and she collapsed to the ground. Annabeth blinked rapidly and saw the glint of a blade. A man stood over her, and time slowed as he lowered his sword.

Annabeth rolled to her side and barely avoided the sword. She jumped to her feet, only for someone to pull her legs out from underneath her. Annabeth hit the ground and rolled onto her side, barely avoiding a sword once again. Before she could even attempt to sit up, a foot slammed into her face.

Annabeth fell onto her back and felt a heavy weight slam into her chest. A man stared down at her and spoke in Latin. He had her pinned, and Annabeth didn't think she could shove him off. Seva glanced at Annabeth and smirked. Then, she spoke one word in Latin and left the room.

A smile came to the man's face. He raised his sword, and Annabeth tried to squirm. She did everything in her power to escape, but the man didn't allow her to budge. One of his knees pinned her sword to the ground, and she couldn't reach her other weapons. There wasn't anyway for her to defend herself. Annabeth saw the sword start to come down, and she closed her eyes, waiting for the final blow.

After a few moments, a sword clattered to the ground near her. Something wet hit her face a moment later. Annabeth opened her eyes and stared up at the man. The tip of a sword was sticking out of his throat. After a moment, he collapsed to the ground.

It took Annabeth a few moments to free herself from the man's body. She quickly backed away and stared at the sword that was buried in the man's throat. Then, her eyes moved towards the owner of the sword. Sally stared down at the man. Tears welled in her eyes, and one hand was to her mouth. The other hand was stained with blood from the man's throat.

"Sally, it's okay," Annabeth began. Sally looked at her and slowly shook her head. She was clearly in shock over what she had done. Both of Sally's hand were shaking. Annabeth took deep breaths and tried not to think about how close to death she had been. Instead, she stood and grabbed Sally's sword. Then, she started to lead Sally out of the room.

"I killed him," Sally whispered. She looked back at the man's body Sally stopped walking and then closed her eyes. "I killed him. I just reacted. Why did I kill him?"

"You did it to save me," Annabeth said. She felt sick to her stomach. If it wasn't for her, Sally wouldn't have killed the man. Sally wouldn't have blood on her hands. Annabeth shook her head and tried to focus. She needed to get Sally somewhere safe and then come back for Baufre.

Sally didn't respond. She just continued to stare at her hands. Annabeth looked down. When Sally first became a champion of Fate, Annabeth and Percy made a vow to keep Sally from the violence and horrors of the demigod world. They didn't want Sally to get caught up in all of the bloodshed, but now she was caught up in it, thanks to Annabeth. Hopefully, it wouldn't consume Sally like it had consumed so many others.


	50. Ancient Evil

"Zara, we need to talk," Reyna hissed. She glanced down at her bounds hand and tried to free them once again, despite the pain it caused. All of the skin near the rope was rubbed raw, as she had been trying to free herself for the last hour. Zara was standing near the corner of the room and staring at the ground. "I did what I had to do, but I know you are not like the others."

"The others that you talk about are my friends," Zara snapped. She looked up at Reyna and then quickly looked away. Reyna looked down as well. Her body still ached from the fight with Burza, and thanks to Neith, both her right elbow and right shoulder were dislocated. "I was a fool to trust you."

"Don't you understand that marching up to Mount Olympus and killing the Olympians isn't going to create peace?" Reyna demanded. Ropes no longer kept her trapped to the chair, so she was able to stand, despite the pain that it caused. "It would have thrown the world into chaos. Burza told me that she was going to kill those who stood in your way."

"We would have been a council," Zara snapped. Reyna shook her head. She didn't have any weapons on her, and at the moment, she wasn't confident in her ability to fight Zara. The peacekeeper was giving off a weird but powerful vibe, and her eyes seemed like they were ready to start glowing. "The proposal would have gone through us and been shot down."

"I don't want to kill you," Reyna stated. Zara looked up at her and nodded. Then, she turned and walked towards the door. Neith stepped into the room and glanced at Zara. "Don't listen to them, Zara. They are going to get you killed. You're too good of a person to be in this situation."

"A desperate wolf will do anything to survive," Neith commented. She turned towards Zara and whispered in her ear. After a moment, Zara walked out of the room. Neith walked towards Reyna and spun the rod in her hand. A canteen rested in her other hand. "All of my fellow peacekeepers know this, and none of them are going to believe a word that you say. You really don't hold any power here."

"You can threaten my sister, but if her string ever falls out of your hands, I will tear you apart," Reyna hissed. Neith looked at her and smiled. Then, she slammed the rod right into Reyna's mouth. Reyna fell to her knees and placed both hands to her face. "I will kill all of you."

"You have twenty two hours to apply this serum," Neith stated. She threw the canteen on the ground in front of Reyna. "If you don't complete that task, I am going to kill your sister. If it takes you even a second longer than your time limit to do it, I will kill your sister. You can make threats all you want, but I have the power. I've always had the power."

Reyna glared at the ground and closed her eyes. She was more upset at herself than anyone. She wanted to protect her sister and the world, but all she did was put everyone that she knew in more and more danger. Reyna opened her eyes.

"I have two questions for you," Neith said. Reyna slowly looked up at her. Neith knelt in front of Reyna and studied her eyes. "There was a time when you asked why the Olympians should be allowed to live if all they do is nothing. Your fellow demigods were sacrificing their lives to save the world, and the Olympians stayed atop their mountain. You, for a few moments, wanted to allow the Olympians to fall. Do you remember that conversation you had with Annabeth Chase?"

"How do you know about that?" Reyna demanded. She barely remembered the conversation herself, which was probably due to a ton of different factors. She did remember telling Annabeth all about her past. Reyna shook her head and looked down. "Things are different."

"Things are different. You hate the Olympians now more than you did back then," Neith commented. She placed a hand to Reyna's face. "You were exiled from your camp and lost your entire life. Everything has fallen apart in front of you. Yet, you hide from your duty of setting things right. Your duty is to destroy the Olympians. I thought you were suppose to be a Roman. Seems like you are exactly like all of the others."

Reyna shook her head and stared at the ground. She had tried to force all of her emotions down and focus on the job ahead. Reyna could not think about the past too much, and she could not focus on her own emotions. If she didn't keep herself focused, the pain, anger, and grief would consume her heart and drive her deeper and deeper into a spiral that she didn't think she could escape from again.

"You're a hypocrite," Neith said. She shook her head and stood. "You always have been. Now, I have an even more important question. Where is Julius Caesar?"

"What?" Reyna asked. The rod slammed into face once again, and she collapsed to the ground. Neith grabbed Reyna by her hair and pulled her into a standing position. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play with me," Neith hissed. She shoved Reyna back into the chair and sneered. "Julius Caesar gave you the position of imperator and control of his army. Where did that slimy bastard really go? What is his game?"

"He's dead," Reyna spat. Her eyes focused on the rod that had her blood splattered all over it. Neith claimed that the rod had a different use, but she never said what it was. It also wasn't common knowledge that Julius Caesar was the former imperator of the Sixth Legion, so how did Neith know? How did Neith know so much about Reyna? "Who the hell are you?"

"I am a queen who wants her world back," Neith stated. She dropped the rod to the ground and paced in front of Reyna. "You claim that Julius Caesar is dead, but you are lying to me. What really happened to him?"

"Julius Caesar is dead. He passed on his power and position," Reyna answered. She spat blood out and placed both hands to her face. Her eyes moved down to the rod. She kept an eye on it. "If you wanted something from him, I can't help you."

Reyna suddenly grabbed onto the rod and spun it in her hands. She went to stab Neith in the chest, but Neith dodged effortlessly. Neith grabbed onto the rod and used Reyna's momentum to slam Reyna into the wall. Pain tore through Reyna's injured arm, and she yelled in pain. Her legs were kicked out from under her a moment later.

Reyna fell to the ground and hit the ground in anger. She rolled onto her back and cradled her injured arm. Neith looked down at her and spoke, "I do respect a wolf who tries to fight their way out of impossible odds. You know that you cannot possibly win, but you just keep fighting."

Neith walked towards Reyna and knelt by her. She grabbed the rod and slipped it on Reyna's belt. "Personally, I wouldn't mind breaking every bone in your body, but Zara still likes you. She would not forgive me if I destroyed you. We can't make it seem like you just waltzed out of captivity though."

Reyna didn't respond and heard the door open. Camila walked into the room and marched right towards Reyna. There wasn't anything Reyna could do as she was pulled to her feet. Neith spoke, "You know the consequences of your failure, imperator. Do not be the reason that your sister dies."

"I am going to send all of you right to Tartarus," Reyna whispered. Camila shoved her into the shadows, and the world disappeared. The world around her screamed, and her stomach twisted. As Reyna's feet his solid ground, she was thrown to the ground. Reyna hit the ground hard and saw her dagger hit the ground near her. She grabbed the dagger and turned towards Camila, but the demigod had already been consumed by the shadows.

It took Reyna a moment to look around at her surroundings. She was laying at the shore of a lake, and the ground was completely muddy. It seemed like she was in some kind of park, but she wasn't sure where she was. Reyna laid her head back on the ground and dropped the dagger. She closed her eyes painfully.

Somehow, her life had gone from terrible to horrific. She wasn't even sure how her life had spiraled down this far. Reyna placed both hands to her face and tried to stop the blood that trickled from her mouth and nose. After a few moments, Reyna lowered her hands and slowly grabbed onto the dagger once again.

Reyna stared at the dagger. It was the same one that Arcadia had given her, and it would allow for her to call for Arcadia just by rubbing the hilt. Reyna wasn't sure if they peacekeepers knew that or if they didn't just want Reyna to be unarmed.

There was no doubt in Reyna's mind that she would poison the the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. She knew that Camp Half-Blood had finally figured out a solution to their barrier problem that involved magic, but it seemed like this solution would shut the barrier down for good. Reyna sighed.

After she helped the peacekeepers destroy the barrier, she knew that the peacekeepers would just make her do another task. Reyna would jump through all kinds of hoops, and there would be no end in sight. The only way to stop it would be to get her hands on Hylla's string, but she couldn't do it alone.

Reyna moved her hand to the hilt of a dagger, but she heard a branch snap. Reyna turned her head and quickly sat up. She hissed in pain and scooted backwards. Reyna wasn't concerned about handling any monster that would attack her, but she couldn't afford anymore delays. After a moment of trying to find who or what was watching her, she raised the dagger.

"You killed Burza," a voice started. Reyna turned around and stared at Lupa. The wolf goddess studied her and stepped out of the shadows. "You killed a praetor that died many years ago. How was she alive?"

"The peacekeepers have their strings," Reyna stated. She slowly scooted back towards a tree and leaned against it. Reyna let go of the dagger. "They want to kill the Olympians and take their place. Eris and Eirene are working with them Well, they were, but the peacekeepers left them behind. It could another ploy. I don't really know anymore."

"The goddess of peace walked into Mount Olympus and begged for forgiveness," Lupa growled. She walked towards Reyna and laid by her. "She told Jupiter about all of her peacekeepers. We have their names and identities, except for one. That one goes by the name of Neith, but she is not a Roman and not a Greek. I know a demigod when I see one, and she is not one."

"You've seen her?" Reyna asked. Lupa growled softly and rose to her feet. She raised a paw. Reyna stared at Lupa and watched the razor sharp claws of Lupa move towards her wrists. She barely stopped herself from flinching as Lupa cut the ropes around her wrists.

"A security camera captured footage of you in the lobby of the Empire State Building with the so called peacekeepers. It also captured you trying to kill Neith, after you killed Burza. Jupiter was surprised by your actions. He still thinks you hate the Olympians and want revenge," Lupa commented.

"I just want to stop the fighting," Reyna muttered. She looked down at her bloodied and bruised wrists. Reyna slowly stood and walked towards the water. She collapsed to her knees and did her best to clean the wounds around her wrists. "I want my sister to be safe. That's all I want."

"Yet, more obstacles stand in your way," Lupa stated. Reyna looked down and closed her eyes. The pain in her wrists was overwhelming, so she just pressed both of her arms against her armor and wished the pain would stop. "I have seen Neith once before, but it was many years ago."

"How many?" Reyna asked. She slowly stood and looked at Lupa again. The wolf goddess motioned to the dagger that Reyna had dropped. It took Reyna a moment to walk towards the dagger and pick it up.

"There was a time when Julius Caesar made a trip to the old lands, in a bid for power," Lupa answered. "I warned him to stay in Europe and to not overextend his reach. Instead, he went to the old lands and awoke something very evil. Caesar told me no more of her, but I know power, Reyna. I can smell Neith's power, just from her being near you."

"Great," Reyna muttered. She laid her head back and groaned softly. "Do you have any idea about what she is or how I can stop her?"

"Mortals call the old land Egypt. Those Egyptians held great power, and they still hold that power. Neith holds more power than even a demigod can handle. I believe she pledged her soul to some of the oldest and most forgotten gods. Please be careful with this, Reyna. I want to see you enjoy the happiness that you've earned."

Reyna slowly looked at Lupa. She met the goddess' eyes and then looked away. Reyna wasn't sure if anyone else had ever told her that she had earned happiness, and with all of the things that she had done, she knew that not many people would want her to be happy. Lupa spoke, "They are going to make their move soon. Remember that this has been planned for decades. Leaders and places change, but the target remains the same: the Olympians."

"I can't do this alone," Reyna muttered. She looked at Lupa. "They have Hylla's string, and they threatened to kill her, if I don't add some kind of mixture to Camp Half-Blood's barrier. I think it's going to destroy the barrier, but I cannot let my sister die. I will not let my sister die."

"You should turn to your friends then," Lupa stated. Her gaze felt like it was going to bore a hole into Reyna's soul. "They will help you, but you have to allow them to help. Do not hold back information. This war is going to be won through trust. The peacekeepers trust each other enough to know that they will have each others back. You must do the same with Annabeth Chase."

"If Annabeth learns that I am going to sabotage her camp, she will stop me," Reyna stated. She shook her head. Annabeth couldn't find out. She would stop Reyna and be the reason that Hylla's string was cut. "If I was in Annabeth's shoes, I would stop me too."

"You were in shoes similar to Annabeth's once before," Lupa stated. "You could have killed Annabeth, but she gave you a reason to trust her. She told you that she could find a way to bring peace to Camp Jupiter and Camp Half-Blood, and she did. Now, you must give her a reason to trust you. Reyna, you must also learn to trust her, but to do that, you must forgive her. The world depends on it."

Lupa disappeared without another word. Reyna sighed softly and closed her eyes. She slowly sat down against a tree and laid her head back. As much as she hated to say it, she knew that Lupa was right. Reyna needed to find a way to trust Annabeth, but at the same time, how could the two even trust each other? Annabeth tore away Reyna's whole world, and Reyna could not bring herself to truly forgive Annabeth.

Reyna stared down at her dagger and placed her thumb to the hilt. Her eyes focused on her bloodied wrists. What would she tell Arcadia, and would the goddess believe it? How would she even get to Camp Half-Blood and run the mixture across the barrier, without anyone knowing? Reyna closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she knew that one mistake would end in her sister's death.


	51. Confido

"This has been useless," Arcadia stated. She stared down at Indigo. The mortal didn't look up at her, and she whimpered as Hylla walked past her. Hylla cut the ropes that kept Indigo tied to the chair. The mortal closed her eyes tightly. "I still say we should just kill her."

"I'm not killing an innocent mortal," Hylla commented. She grabbed onto Indigo and pulled her out of the chair. Hylla shoved the mortal towards another Amazon. "Take her back to our base and make sure she doesn't have any lasting injuries. Get her food and a place to stay. Treat her right."

"As you wish, Queen Hylla," the Amazon said. She led Indigo out of the room. Arcadia sighed and closed her eyes. She was annoyed. The mortal cooperated, so they didn't have to get violent. The threats to the mortal's family worked well to loosen her lips. The thing that irritated Arcadia was the fact that Indigo didn't know any of Seva's plans. Time spent questioning the mortal could have been used elsewhere.

While Arcadia didn't know the exact plans of Seva, she knew what the outline would be. Seva's first step would be to solidify her power in Rome. It wouldn't be that hard, considering the Sixth Legion had been ran out, and the rest of the clans were under Seva's thumb. What was the next step though? Would Seva stay where she was safe or help Eirene? Arcadia hated not knowing.

Arcadia followed Hylla out of the room and across the hall. They stepped into a large living room. Arcadia looked around the room. Sally was sitting in a corner of the room and staring at the blood on her sword. Annabeth was sitting near Sally but seemed lost in her own thoughts. Bristol was playing a game of the chess with the demititan: Collins. Making war plans with the demititan seemed to do nothing but drive him away. When he started play chess, he gave them a last name. Who knew that stupid games could create relations? Sparta glanced at the two and then stared up at the ceiling clearly bored.

"I hate how divided we are," Hylla commented. She rubbed her chin and sighed. Hylla looked up. "Annabeth, how long would it take to call together a meeting for everyone? And, I want it to be a real meeting. We need every group to work together to stop this threat."

"Is the meeting going to include Reyna?" Annabeth questioned. Hylla remained silent. "I know she's your sister, but she's been the point of a lot of drama. Thalia doesn't want to be in the same room as her. The last meeting with her involved didn't go well. I can't imagine this one will be any different."

"The imperator is still missing,"Arcadia stated. She looked down and thought of the last message that she had received. "For now, I am filling her role. Once we find her, I can attend these meetings, to keep the tension down. When can we meet?"

"I'll call Chiron about setting a meeting," Annabeth said. She didn't seem convinced of the idea. Arcadia rolled her eyes and glanced around the room. Annabeth glanced at Sally, and upon seeing the fact that Sally was still staring at her sword, the daughter of Athena walked out of the room. Arcadia looked at Sally. The champion of Fate didn't look up.

Arcadia walked towards Sally and sat next to her. She spoke, "I heard that you killed a man, and it's the first person that you have truly killed. Why are you so disgusted with yourself?"

"I killed someone who didn't deserve it," Sally whispered. She slowly touched the blood that was stained onto her sword. "I don't know why I killed him. I just followed my instincts. I saw Annabeth was in danger, and I reacted."

"Do you know how we train new recruits to handle death?" Arcadia asked. Sally slowly looked at her. "Most of our recruits already have a background in violence and over half of them have killed before. We have a way to train the others on how to handle death. Before they become a member of the Sixth Legion, they go through rigorous training. One of the very last things that we do is test them in a dream."

"In their dream, they will be doing a border patrol with their trainer. They will be ambushed, and their trainer will be in a situation like Annabeth was in. I've yet to see a recruit fail to save their trainer. In the matter of life and death, they defend their comrades," Arcadia continued. She looked Sally in the eyes. "You are ending a life, but you only did it to save the life of a comrade. It is not needless slaughter. If you did not act, Annabeth would be dead."

"That doesn't change the fact that I killed someone," Sally said. She looked down again. "I told Clotho that I did not want to be a killer. I can't be a killer."

"A killer is someone who ends a life without remorse," Arcadia argued. "They do not care for how precious life actually is. You were a mortal, and that made you unique. Most of your life wasn't spent fighting monsters. You were able to experience the joys of life, and you know how precious life is. Sally, would you end a life for no reason?"

"Never," Sally answered. Arcadia nodded and waited for Sally to connect the dots. After a few moments, Sally looked down. "That doesn't change what I did."

"It doesn't," Arcadia agreed. She grabbed Sally's shoulder. "But, you shouldn't allow it to destroy you. Sally, you saved a life. It will take time, but eventually, you will forgive yourself."

Sally didn't respond, but she did place the sword beside her and focus on the ground. Arcadia almost smiled, but she heard a small hum. A glance down showed that the hilt of her dagger was glowing. Arcadia turned and left the room. Only five people had a dagger they could contact her with, and two of them were in the room that she had just left. Aquitaine was currently sitting in a cell. That meant it was either Reyna or Clarisse that were in need of help.

Arcadia stood and walked out of the room. She placed a hand to the dagger and closed her eyes tightly. Arcadia thought of the dagger and felt the world around her change. She opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes shot around the clearing that she was in, and they focused on the imperator.

Reyna was sitting against the tree and had her head resting against it. Her wrists were bloody, bruised and rubbed raw, which explained why her hands were shaking so badly. It seemed like her right arm was injured as well, and there was blood covering her face. Arcadia wished she could say this wasn't a normal occurrence.

"I'm here," Arcadia promised. She knelt by her imperator. After a few moments, Reyna looked at her. There was the usual void in her eyes, but there was also fear and exhaustion. "I'm going to get you out of here. Can you walk?"

"I can," Reyna whispered. She slowly stood, and Arcadia helped her. "We need to talk though. You can't tell anyone until I tell you to. Not my sister or Annabeth."

"I won't tell anyone," Arcadia promised. Reyna shook her head and looked down. Arcadia gently grabbed Reyna's shoulder. When her imperator looked up, Arcadia gave her a serious look. "I swear on the River Styx. I will do whatever you command of me. You should know that by now."

For some reason, Reyna didn't seem to know that. The imperator acted like she couldn't trust her second in command for personal matters, and it was all Arcadia's fault. Arcadia didn't believe in the imperator, when the imperator needed her most. Reyna promised that she hadn't killed the two senators from Camp Jupiter, and she swore that she was being framed. Arcadia didn't believe her, even when there was proof staring her right in the face.

Arcadia tried to make up for it. She spent the last month carefully listening to everything that Reyna said and trying to help her. The goddess sighed softly and looked at Reyna. Her imperator seemed to be lost in thought, or maybe, she was just lost in a sea of pain. Arcadia gently rubbed her imperator's shoulder, and Reyna seemed to snap back to the present.

"I worked with the peacekeepers, for a small amount of time," Reyna said. Arcadia nodded and reserved her judgment. It was not her place to question the imperator. There was enough people doing that, and Reyna did not need another person to doubt her and drive her back into a downward spiral. "The peacekeepers saved me from Eris and tried to convince me to help them destroy the Olympians. I went with one of them to Mount Olympus and killed them. Now, they are threatening me with Hylla's string. They have it, and if I don't cooperate, they are going to cut it and kill her."

"We will figure it out," Arcadia promised. She knew that Reyna would do anything for her sister, but she also needed Reyna to think rationally. "I'm going to get you back to your sister's base and to Avaris. You need a doctor and some sleep."

"I only have twenty two hours left. I can't waste time," Reyna protested. Arcadia gently gripped Reyna's shoulder. The imperator was probably almost as stubborn as Arcadia, but it didn't matter. She needed to sleep, and she needed to think things through.

"I can take you to Camp Half-Blood in seconds, and it shouldn't take too long to apply this mixture. You need a doctor to take care of you, and I can see how exhausted you are. If you want, I can take you to Camp Half-Blood now, but I think you need rest," Arcadia said.

Reyna looked down and sighed tiredly. Her shoulders seemed to droop, and she closed her eyes. Reyna nodded and spoke, "Let's go to my sister's base. You have to swear you will take me to Camp Half-Blood with at least five hours left."

"I will," Arcadia swore. She thought of the base and blinked. When her eyes opened, she found herself in an empty room of the base. Arcadia walked Reyna towards the bed and sat her down. Reyna slowly started to take off her armor. When Arcadia tried to help, she was waved away.

"Get Avaris please," Reyna whispered. Arcadia nodded and walked out of the room. She walked towards the large room that was being used as a makeshift infirmary. When Arcadia stepped inside, she saw that most of the injured members of the Sixth Legion were asleep. There was too many injuries from the barbarian's assault, but with all things considered, Arcadia was happy that they didn't lose more people.

Avaris walked around the room and stopped by a member of the Sixth Legion. She made a note near the base of her elbow. Her arms were covered in notes. Arcadia gave up a long time ago with trying to convince the doctor to use a pen and paper like a normal person. The only thing that mattered was that Avaris remembered everything she had written down.

"I found the imperator. She needs you," Arcadia said softly. Avaris quickly looked at her. Then, she grabbed a duffel bag and hurried out of the room. Arcadia stepped into the hall. "It's the last door on the right."

Arcadia watched Avaris step into the correct room. Then, she allowed her thoughts to drift. How exactly would she help the imperator? The situation seemed impossible, but impossible situations were something that Arcadia thrived on. It just meant that she had another challenge to overcome.

This one was different though. The first thing they needed to do was get Hylla's string back, but getting the string back wouldn't magically fix everything. Her imperator was still mentally hanging over the edge. Arcadia tried so hard to help Reyna. Over the past month, Arcadia watched Reyna pull herself from a very dark place, but now, the stress had to be crushing. Arcadia could not allow Reyna to shut down once again. The imperator needed to stay calm and focused.

Arcadia sighed and snapped out of her thoughts. She turned and walked out of the room. Arcadia made her way back towards the large living room and walked over to Hylla. The queen of the Amazons was sitting next to Kinzie and talking softly with her. From the blush on Kinzie's face, the two were probably in the middle of flirting. Arcadia walked towards them.

"I found Reyna," Arcadia whispered. Hylla looked annoyed at Arcadia, but as soon as she heard the words, she stood. Arcadia turned and walked out of the room. Two pairs of footsteps followed behind her.

"How is she doing?" Hylla questioned. Arcadia led them down the hall and debated what she wanted to say. She could feel Hylla's eyes piercing into her back. "Arcadia, what happened to my sister?"

"I'm not sure," Arcadia replied honestly. She glanced back at them. "The imperator is hurt, but she is conscious. I didn't want to push her too much for information just yet."

Arcadia stopped at the room that she left Reyna in. She heard Avaris talking softly, and it was followed by a small cry of pain. Hylla pushed past Arcadia and stepped into the room. After a few moments, Arcadia followed behind.

Avaris glanced at them. She was slowly cleaning the blood away from Reyna's wrists. Reyna had her eyes closed tightly and was visibly tensed. Avaris didn't look at them, but she cleared her throat and spoke, "Kinzie, hold her shoulders straight but be gentle with her right one. Arcadia, keep her arms in place. This is going to hurt imperator but do not move."

"I won't," Reyna whispered. Arcadia gently grabbed onto her imperator's arm and watched Kinzie step behind the imperator.. Avaris glanced at them and grabbed Reyna's right arm. She deeply cleaned the wound, causing Reyna to tense and instinctively tried to jerk away. Arcadia kept her imperator in place.

"Tell us what happened," Avaris ordered. Reyna blinked a few times and stared down at her wrist. She finally looked up and took deep breaths. Avaris glanced at Arcadia, and Arcadia nodded. She knew that they needed to distract Reyna from what was currently going on.

"We're not going to be mad," Hylla promised. She soaked a rag in water and gently wiped the blood from Reyna's face. Reyna seemed to focus on her older sister. "Start the story wherever you want. We're just worried about you."

"It's a long story," Reyna began. She winced, but her eyes were focused on Hylla. Avaris quickly but gently cleaned the wounds around the imperator's wrists and bandaged them. Arcadia loosened her grip and focused on the imperator's word.

Reyna told them the story about how the peacekeepers saved her from Eris. She told them about how she went to Mount Olympus with Burza and ended up killing the peacekeeper, which prompted the others to turn against her. Reyna told them everything she could about all of the peacekeepers, but she didn't say anything about Hylla's string. Arcadia wouldn't say a word either. When Reyna finished her story, she rested her head against Hylla's chest.

"We're going to handle them," Hylla swore. She gently rubbed Reyna's back. Avaris gently grabbed Reyna's arm and felt it. Arcadia heard a pop, and Reyna cried out in pain. "Look at me, Reyna. You're okay. We're not going to let anything else happen to you."

"I'm fine," Reyna promised. She took a deep breath and slowly relaxed. Avaris gently popped Reyna's shoulder back into place. Reyna closed her eyes tightly but didn't make another noise. "I think I want to pass out for a few hours."

"I won't leave you," Hylla promised. Reyna nodded slightly and slowly looked at Arcadia. The imperator was clearly exhausted, but there was a serious look in her eyes. Arcadia gave her a slight nod. She would handle the details, but her imperator needed to rest.

"We need to make sure that a meeting is called," Arcadia said. She looked at Hylla. "I say we meet at Camp Half-Blood. It's a safe place for the Greeks and Romans. I can speak to Annabeth about setting the meeting, and if I need to, I will go to Chiron. We should do it in the morning, so we have time to work out all of the details. Does that sound good?"

"It's fine with me," Hylla said. She held her sister close. Reyna's eyes were fluttering open and close. Reyna met Arcadia's eyes and nodded once again. Then, her eyes closed, and she seemed to drift into a hopefully peaceful sleep.

"I won't let them hurt you again," Hylla whispered softly. She laid Reyna on the bed and kissed her forehead. Hylla sat by her sister and stared down at her. Arcadia glanced at Avaris. Their doctor studied Reyna and then started cleaning up her supplies.

Arcadia turned and walked out of the room. She still had many things that she needed to discuss with the imperator, but she had to wait. Reyna needed to rest and heal up. After Reyna placed the mixture on the barrier, they would focus on getting Hylla's string. When they got Hylla's string, they would then focus on handling their problems in Rome and the peacekeepers. The peacekeepers were going to regret the day that they hurt the imperator.


	52. There Will Be Blood

"I don't want to do this," Zara said softly. She stared down at small vase that held the remains of one of her greatest friends. It had been a hour since the flames died away, leaving nothing more than bone fragments and ash. Zara collected the remains and placed it into the vase, as she didn't think many of the other peacekeepers could bear to look at the ash.

It still felt like a horrible dream. Zara expected to open her eyes and find that she had sleepwalked into Theo's room again. They would hear Burza and Beleza arguing, because Beleza had eaten the last of the cereal. Zara use to hate how the two would argue over every petty little thing, instead of finally admitting their feels. All Zara wanted was for the two to argue once again, but she knew that she would never wake up to another one of those arguments.

"I wish I had been there for you," Zara whispered. She sat the vase down and swallowed painfully. Zara cried all of the tears left in her body earlier, leaving her to feel hollow and upset. All she wanted was her friend back. "I wish I didn't trust Reyna. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry Burza. Gods, I'm so sorry."

"But, I can't do this. I don't want to kill anyone else," Zara continued. She choked back a cry and took deep breaths. "When we first started working for Eirene, we had a simple plan. We were going to storm Mount Olympus and take out the Olympians. All we had to do was wait for the right time, but everything is spiraling out of control now. Neith wants to make all of the camps pay. She's scared of rebellion, but if we do this right, there won't be a rebellion."

Zara looked down. In less than twenty four hours, the world would be forever changed. Camp Half-Blood would be isolated and unable to help. Camp Jupiter would be crippled and without leadership. The Hunters of Artemis would no longer have their godly leader, and the demititans would be left out of the equation, like always. The Amazons wouldn't be a problem, considering Neith had a death grip on Hylla's string. In less than twenty four hours, blood would flood the world.

They were no longer peacekeepers. They lost that the title the second they threatened Hylla. Keepers of peace did not threaten to kill an innocent person. Zara didn't like what they were doing, but she would not turn her back on her family. She could never do that. Zara already caused the death of one of her friends. She would not cause another.

"Hey," Pia said. Zara jumped and slowly looked at their doctor. Pia sat by her and stared down at the vase. "Don't tear yourself apart from this. I do not want you to spiral down into your hole. We need you with us, Zara. Promise me you will not blame yourself."

"I can't do that," Zara whispered. She looked at Pia. "It is my fault that Burza is dead. I was the one who was so adamant about being able to trust Reyna. If I didn't push for this, Burza would still be alive."

"Over half of us thought we could trust Reyna," Pia stated. She sighed and grabbed the vase. "We tested her in the dream, and she passed. It seemed like she would work with us. Something happened between the two of them leaving the base and Burza's death. If I had to guess, Burza's mouth got the better of her."

Zara shook her head and stared at the ground. A hand gently rubbed her back. Pia stood and walked towards the door. The doctor gentle cradled the vase and spoke, "We have to let go of Burza. We will remember her and avenge her, but we must not forget our mission."

"I can't do that like you guys can," Zara said. She hated how upset she sounded. Zara wanted to know how the others managed to turn off their emotions. Pia never showed any emotions, besides anger, when she was taking care of her patients. Neith barely showed emotions. The others all had themselves greatly under control.

"We have a job to do. Focus on it," Pia said. She gently grabbed Zara's jaw and made her look up. "I understand how you are feeling, but if Burza knew how badly you were grieving her death, she would be yelling at you to get your head back in the game. You have to stay focused and help Neith."

"I know," Zara said. She took a few deep breaths and nodded. The door behind them was thrown open. Zara turned and stared at Neith. While Neith wasn't saying a word, her jaw was quivering. She looked at Pia and motioned with her head. Pia quickly followed behind Neith.

Zara slowly followed behind the two. She knew that Neith had made a stop at her house to get a few things that they would need. As Zara followed behind them, she saw blood covering Neith's arms and hand. Pia seemed to notice and spoke, "What happened?"

"They broke into my home," Neith said. Her voice was low, but she was shaking in rage. "They tortured Baufre, in an attempt to find me. He is sitting at death's door, and I don't know if you can save him, Pia."

"I'll do my best," Pia promised. They stopped outside of the infirmary. Neith placed a hand to the door, but she couldn't seem to bring herself to step inside. She turned away and took deep breaths. Pia slipped into the room. Zara slowly looked at Neith.

"Baufre has been loyal to me for centuries," Neith whispered. Her eyes closed. It was the most emotion that Zara had seen from Neith in a long time. "I don't have the magic to heal him this time. I can't save him."

Neith slowly sat against the wall and forced her eyes open. She stared at the door in front of her. Pia walked out of the room. Her face was impassive, but considering she hadn't even spent a minute in the room, things couldn't be good. Neith shook her head and spoke, "I can't lose him."

"There's nothing I can do," Pia said softly. Zara looked down. She didn't know much about Baufre, other than the fact that his life had been greatly extending by Neith. Their fellow peacekeeper was probably as skilled as Hecate in magic, but she always hid the extent of her powers. She also hadn't been put to sleep like they had, and even though Eris had given Neith a string, the rest of the peacekeepers knew that the string was useless. Neith was not a demigod.

"He spoke of the wolf of Rome," Neith said. Her jaw clenched, and she slowly stood. "I invited Seva into my home. I treated her with all of the respect and hospitality that is required of me. She spits in my face by torturing my oldest friend for information. I want her head."

"We do want the armies in Rome," Pia commented. Neith nodded and walked towards the door. She looked at the ground and took a few deep breaths. "Are you sure you can do this, Neith? I can do it for you."

"I have to do this," Neith answered. She opened the door and looked back at them. "I want your strongest poison, Pia. I want all of the information we have on this Council. Reyna will handle the barrier of Camp Half-Blood. Pia, can you help Zara keep an eye on everyone? I will handle Seva."

"Just be safe. I'll have it ready in five minutes," Pia answered. She hurried down the hall. Neith took a deep breath and stepped into the room. As the door opened, Zara felt a wave pass over her. She couldn't see into the room, but she could just sense the death coming from it. The man was long past his time, just like them.

Zara shook her head and walked down the hallway. She wanted to be there for Neith, but there was no way that Neith would allow them to see her in a vulnerable state. Besides, the other peacekeepers were relying on them. They all had to put their grief to the side and begin their plan.

Zara stepped into the control room and looked around. A table in the middle of the room held a map that was covered with a few pins and notes. Zara leaned on the table and looked at the wall in front of her. Three Iris messages rested in front of them. Hilk stared at a few messages that were in front of him, and he slowly scrolled through them.

"Like it?" Hilk asked, and he motioned with his head. Zara looked at the belt that was on the table. A Golden Drachmae rested in the middle of the belt, and small tubes ran throughout the belt. Water shot through the tubes. "I made it myself, with some help from Vascio. Don't tell him that though."

"It's impressive," Zara said. She lifted the belt and studied it. "How does it work though?"

"Well, you can see where the water goes through," Hilk said. He pointed to the tubes of water. "Parts of it heat up the water here to make mist, and it hits the coin to create the focal point of the message. The steam slips through the coin and turns back into water. It keeps going and helps the message keep running. Wait. What the hell are they doing?"

Zara looked up at confusion. She saw Hilk staring at the Iris message on the most left. It was connected to the belt that Asher was wearing. Asher and Dominic were going to Camp Jupiter to take care of the senators and praetors. The weekly Senate meeting was beginning in ten minutes. The two needed to be close by to begin the plan. Instead, they were petting a dog.

"You are so cute," Asher said. They could see Asher's hands running over the golden coat of the dog. Another pair of hands rubbed the dog's ears and seemed to be massaging them. "Can we adopt him? We need to adopt him."

"Hey. Stop petting the dog!" Hilk snapped. His finger was to the earpiece in his right ear. Asher tensed and placed two hands to the camera. After a moment, he adjusted his hand and flipped them off. "You two have a meeting to ruin. You're not even at Camp Jupiter yet."

"It's going to take five minutes to get from the entrance of Camp Jupiter to the Senate building," Dominic said. He took a deep breath. "Asher is going to drive all of them to their knees with insanity, and I will cut their heads off. That is as simple as it gets."

"My father's powers will suit me well. Can we pet the dog for a few more minutes?" Asher asked. Hilk rolled his eyes and looked at the middle message. They could hear sound from the right and left Iris messages, but they didn't want to chance it with the middle one. They just had to rely on their earpieces to communicate with the peacekeepers.

Zara studied the middle message. Three demititans were sitting across a table and staring at the two people in front of them. One of them, Sarah, moved her glance down to the table and seemed to be distracted. Ryke, the apparent sister of a barbarian leader, sat in the middle and was focused on the two peacekeepers in front of her. A third one, Blake, sat on the right and seemed to be staring at the Iris message, as if he knew.

The peacekeepers held no quarrel with the demititans. They wanted to leave the demititans alone. There was no reason for them to go to war. It wasn't like the Olympians had ever done anything for the demititans, so there was no way that the demititans would stand in defense of Olympus. All the peacekeepers needed to do was make a small peace treaty.

From everything that Zara had observed, the demititan held no love for the demigods. Sarah was still hurting over the loss of her girlfriend, and the other three leaders were so new that their opinion would not trump Sarah's. The peacekeepers just needed to be careful about how they approached Sarah.

Camila and Charles were currently meeting with the demititans. They had picked two of their most physically nonthreatening peacekeepers. If things went wrong, Camila and Charles would have no problem wiping out the demititans. The snap of Charles fingers would put someone to sleep, and the snap of Camila's fingers would raise an army of the undead. The two didn't look like much, but Zara learned long ago that appearances could never be trusted.

Zara turned her head to the Iris message on the right. It showed an overview of an empty campfire. Zara grabbed an earpiece from the table and placed it in her ear. She spoke, "Beleza, is everything okay?"

"The Hunters of Artemis left here about twenty minutes ago. Artemis spoke of going to Camp Half-Blood," Beleza replied. Zara frowned and adjusted her earpiece. Beleza was just suppose to follow the Hunters of Artemis and keep them updated on where they went. No one expected the Hunters of Artemis to go to Camp Half-Blood, but it would work out.

"Beleza said that the Hunters are going to Camp Half-Blood. Should we pull her back?" Zara asked softly. Hilk glanced at her and nodded. He suddenly looked at his hand and hurried to an empty part of the wall. Zara looked back at the message of the empty campfire. "Head back when you get a chance. We'll need you."

"I'll be there soon," Beleza replied. Zara started to remove the earpiece, but she heard Beleza sigh sadly. "Zara, you have to promise something to me. If we do end up cutting Hylla's string, I want to be the one who does it. I want to be the one punishes Reyna for her mistake."

"You'll have to talk to Neith about it," Zara whispered. Beleza didn't respond. Zara sighed and pulled the earpiece out of her ear. She placed it on the table and focused on Hilk. A fourth Iris message appeared, and it showed a large building.

"You guys had me worried," Hilk said. He grabbed the earpiece. "You two there? See anything from the Amazons or see anything outside their base?"

"We're fine," Vasicio answered. The Iris message moved, and Vasicio's fingers appeared at the edge. It seemed like he was giving them the perfect view of the building. "I haven't seen anyone enter or leave, and our scout hasn't either. No one has spotted the imperator either."

"Probably licking her wounds," Hilk commented. He lowed his hand and looked at Zara. "Can you get Neith and update her on the situation?"

"Hey guys," Asher said. Zara looked at the Iris message on the very left. She could see her fellow peacekeepers had retreated away from Camp Jupiter's exterior. "The praetors and senators are on their way to Camp Half-Blood. One of the centurions, the child of Pluto, is going to take them there. I don't know how she is managing to take all of them, unless she has help. They just disappeared though."

"All of the leaders are meeting at Camp Half-Blood." Zara said. The thought of her old camp use to send pangs through her heart. Now, she felt nothing. Camp Half-Blood turned their back on Zara and left her to die. "Neith is busy, but I can tell Pia. This works out very well."

"Do you think Neith knew this would happen?" Hilk questioned. Zara glanced at him and shrugged. The thought did gnaw at the back of her head though. Sometimes, Neith seemed to have knowledge that was divine like. Could Neith had known that all of the leaders would meet at Camp Half-Blood? It did make sense for the leaders to meet at a safe place, but the timing was coincidental. "I guess old habits die hard. They always meet at Camp Half-Blood, don't they?"

"Yeah. You're right," Zara said. She shook her head and sighed tiredly. Zara turned and walked out of the room. In less than twenty four hours, they would be at war. It was no longer time to sneak into Mount Olympus and take out the Olympians one by one. They were going to war with the Olympians. Kronos' blood would be used to eradicate all of the Olympians, and in less than twenty four hours, Golden Ichor would flow from the heavens.


	53. First Battle's Shore

At any moment, Reyna expected someone to stop her and demand to know what she was doing. She knew that she looked suspicious, as her hand was coated in a weird, black substance that stuck like glue. When she had first placed her hand to the barrier, the substance seemed to stick to the barrier, and as she moved, it seemed to disappear into the barrier itself. The only sign of it being touched was a small black line that was left behind.

There was an important meeting happening at the Big House, but Reyna opted to stay out of it. She claimed that she would only cause tensions to rise, and it would be easiest for Arcadia to go in her place. No one argued, and none of them seemed to notice that Reyna had an ulterior motive for staying out of the meeting.

Reyna sighed and closed her eyes. Every Hunter of Artemis was there, which shouldn't have been a surprise. The praetors of Camp Jupiter were there, along with every member of the Senate. Reyna made sure to stay clear of all of them. The Hunters of Artemis still hated her guts, and Reyna couldn't handle talking to the praetors of Camp Jupiter. The Senators probably wouldn't even talk to her, and if they did have anything to say to her, it wouldn't be kind.

They sent a message to the demititans but had not heard anything in response. She did know Collins had gone back to the demititan base to check on Sarah, but he hadn't said anything about them going to the meeting. Some of Hylla's Amazons were stationed at the camp. Hylla and Kinzie had yet to make it to the meeting, as they made a stop at one of their bases.

Reyna was happy that they had so many people there. When she was done with the serum, she was sure that the barrier would fall, but they would have enough people to protect the camp. Reyna hadn't heard anything from Seva. The self proclaimed leader of Europe had not made any moves, and that worried Reyna. She knew an army was coming to smash down upon them, but she didn't know when that would happen. Considering her deadline was going to run out in three hours, she knew it would be soon.

Reyna took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She continued to walk and made it back towards her starting point. She ran her hand over where she had first started applying the serum, and she was able to pull her hand away. Reyna sighed tiredly. She was surprised that she had managed to make a full circle of the barrier without anyone stopping her, but she needed good luck every so often.

"What are you doing?" a voice asked. Reyna let out a pained breath and slowly turned towards Annabeth. She didn't plan on Annabeth finding out, especially not this soon. Annabeth stared at Reyna and then looked at the black serum that trickling off her hand. "What is that?"

"I'm sorry," Reyna said. She wiped the serum on the grass and looked at the barrier. The serum was slowly spreading across the barrier and becoming visible. "They threatened to kill Hylla, if I didn't do this. That's why we called the meeting. With enough people here, we can defend the camp."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Annabeth demanded. Reyna shook her head and stepped backwards, through the barrier. There was no way she could be inside Camp Half-Blood now. This was going to vilify her. The campers that still believed in her were going to absolutely hate her now. "We could have worked something out."

"I didn't have time," Reyna muttered. Annabeth stepped through the barrier and suddenly grabbed Reyna by her armor straps. "They have Hylla's string. They gave me twenty four hours to apply this serum to your barrier. I did what I had to do to save my sister."

Reyna glanced up at the barrier. It was now visibly blue, but no holes were appearing in it. The barrier almost seemed to be turning a darker blue color. Annabeth spoke, "You know what the prophecy says. We have to work together! You just had to tell me about this."

"You would have stopped me!" Reyna snapped. She looked up at Annabeth. "How many times have we been down this road? You want to protect your family, and I want to protect mine. We had the same family. Then, you stabbed me in the back. You revealed my patricide and ruined my life!"

"If you had kept your mouth shut, we would not be in this position," Reyna continued. Tears filled her eyes, and anger boiled in her chest. Reyna tried to keep her emotions from boiling over, but she just couldn't. "We would have worked together to stop the Arimapsi, and the peacekeepers would never have been able to make their move!"

"If you let people help you, we wouldn't be in this situation," Annabeth snapped back. Reyna clenched her fist, despite the pain that shot through her body. Everything still hurt, especially her wrists. "Hylla offered to take you in after you were exiled. Instead, you allowed yourself to spiral further and further out of control and blamed it on everything but your pride. You can't take help. You don't know how to."

"You don't know a damn thing," Reyna snapped. She shoved Annabeth backwards. "Why do I keep thinking that I can work with you? This is all your fault. The peacekeepers told me about how you woke them from their spell. You worked with Eirene and Eris. Did you question anything that they did?"

"I made a mistake," Annabeth snapped. She took a deep breath. "I only did it because I saw the path that you were going down. You are a monster, Reyna. The only reason I worked with Eirene and Eris was because they showed me two visions. One was of you going to an old throne and demanding to be shown something. You were covered in blood."

"The other vision was of you killing someone from Camp Jupiter and wanting to know where your sister was. I know what you would do to protect Hylla. I didn't realize that Eirene had manipulated those visions to make them seem like something they weren't. Do you really think that I would work with those two, if I knew they were going to try and kill my friends? I thought the peacekeepers were suppose to stop the assassins," Annabeth said.

"You're right," Reyna muttered. She took a deep breath and tried to release all of the anger in her chest, but she just couldn't. Reyna wanted to forgive Annabeth, but she couldn't. "It doesn't change what you did."

"You act like I am the only person here who did wrong," Annabeth said. She shook her head. "Are you going to ignore all of the things that you did? Yes, you did save the world multiple times, but I have too. I don't get to walk away from the terrible things that I did. You don't get to either."

Reyna shoved Annabeth back in anger. Annabeth stumbled back into the barrier, but she seemed to hit a solid wall. Reyna stared at the barrier. Annabeth slowly turned around and placed a hand to the barrier. Her hand didn't go through it, and it seemed like the barrier had turned into a solid wall.

"Gods no," Annabeth whispered. She quickly felt along the barrier but didn't seem to find an area to break through. Reyna stared at the barrier. She thought that the mixture would bring about the final collapse of the barrier. Instead, it seemed to be solidifying it, so nothing could go through. Could anyone enter or leave?

Reyna heard a noise behind her. She turned and stared at Camila. The demigod stepped out of the shadows and smirked. Neith followed right behind her. Neith examined the barrier and nodded slightly. Reyna spoke, "What the hell did you give to me?"

"I told you that we were going to handle Camp Half-Blood. What made you think that we were going to be violent about it?" Neith wondered. She walked towards the barrier and placed a hand to it. A smile came to her face. "I have outdone myself, haven't I?"

"I did what you wanted. Give me my sister's string," Reyna ordered. Neith examined her and slowly pulled the string out of her pocket. Reyna felt her heart clench, and she took a step forward. Neith glanced at her and smirked. Then, she took a step backwards. "Give me the string."

"Oh no. We are not done just yet, imperator," Neith commented. She hummed softly and twirled the string on her finger. Reyna tensed and took a step forward. Neith just smiled at her. "Our job is just beginning. See, I know that you are going to try and stop us, aren't you?"

"Give me the string," Reyna ordered. She knew this would happen, but that didn't stop the anger that boiled in her chest. She knew there was a catch, but she was tired of being used and manipulated. She was tired of people trying to ruin her life. "Or else."

Neith laughed like she found something amusing. The peacekeeper spoke, "Let me tell you exactly what is going to happen. My friends and I are going to hunt down every single Greek and Roman god and goddess that dares show their face. We are going to send each and every single one of them to that place that you call Tartarus. If the remaining demigods try to help, New Rome will burn."

"You're not going to lay a damn hand on anyone," Reyna snapped. She took a step forward, but a hand grabbed her arm. Reyna slowly looked at Annabeth. The daughter of Athena gripped her forearm and gave her a look that told her to calm down. Reyna looked back at Neith. "Zara told me you were going to spare all the demigods. I guess I'm not surprised to hear all of that was bullshit."

"We were going to spare all of the demigods, but you, like always, just had to ruin everything," Camila interrupted. The shadows near the tree seemed to be reaching out for her. Reyna looked down. They would be at a disadvantage if they attacked. "You killed Burza. There is only one way to answer a crime like that."

"Seva has her little barbarian army all primed and ready to go, but Seva will not be there to lead it. In fact, she is dead. It seems she was murdered by the imperator of the Sixth Legion. Well, that's what the barbarians think" Neith stated. She walked towards Reyna and left no space in between the two of them. Neith rested her forehead against Reyna's and stared into her eyes. "It would be all too easy to send that army right to your former home and burn the whole place down, just like they did to my people. I had to bow a knee just to survive. Can you do the same?"

"Lupa told me you were from the old lands: Egypt," Reyna hissed. She could sense that Hylla's string was so close. Would she dare even try to get the string from Neith? If she failed, it could mean her sister's death. "She told me that you spoke with Julius Caesar. Is that why you were so worried about what he was doing?

"Julius Caesar knew more that he should have, but it doesn't look like that matters anymore," Neith commented. She stepped away from Reyna and smiled coldly. Reyna's eyes moved back to Hylla's string. Every fiber of her being was yelling at her to grab the string.

"History knows my name well, and history thinks I died. No, I made a pact with the dying gods of my world. They gave me their power and faded away. Your people tried to erase my people from the world," Neith snapped. "I had to work with Julius Caesar to ensure that my people were safe. You don't understand what I had to do."

Reyna glanced at Annabeth. Then, she slammed into Neith. They tumbled to the ground, and Reyna punched Neith right in the face. Pain shot through her arm, but she didn't stop. She punched Neith once again and grabbed the dagger at her side. Reyna went to stab Neith, and the peacekeeper caught onto Reyna's wrist. The tip of the dagger was a few centimeter's from the peacekeeper's face.

Neith dug her fingers into the wounds on Reyna's wrist. Reyna hissed in agony but kept trying to lower the dagger. She wasn't going to allow anyone else to threaten her family and get away with it. Reyna waited for Neith to use magic like she had before, but Neith seemed more focused on keeping the dagger away.

"I don't really care how you have lived so long," Reyna hissed. She glanced at Annabeth. It seemed like Camila and Annabeth were equally matched. Reyna focused back on Neith. "I am going to kill you and take my sister's string back.

"People have been trying to kill me for centuries," Neith said. She smiled coldly. "I am not scared of you, Roman. I know how your kind works. You are fixated on revenge and not focused on what is important. It is so easy to manipulate you."

Reyna shifted her weight to put more pressure on the dagger that she was trying to drive into Neith's throat. She let go of the dagger with her right hand and grabbed onto her sister's string. All she needed to do was wrap her finger around the string and pull it away from Neith's grasp. The peacekeeper was still focused on the dagger.

A cry of pain caught Reyna's attention. She turned her head and saw that Annabeth was on her knees and pressing both hands to her face. Camila grabbed Annabeth and shoved her towards the shadows. Reyna stared and let go of the string. She slammed into Camila, and the two hit the ground hard. Camila scrambled away from her grasp.

"So, you decide to save the woman who destroyed your life instead of securing your sister's string. Very interesting," Neith commented. She smiled as Camila moved to her side, and they both moved to the shadows. "Don't try to stop us, or we will destroy everything you love."

Reyna lunged towards them, but she was too late. The two peacekeepers disappeared into the shadows. Reyna hit the ground in anger and let out a yell. She hit the ground again and relished the pain that tore through her wrist. Hylla's string was right there. It was right there, and Reyna got distracted by Annabeth being hurt.

"We're going to get Hylla's string back," Annabeth promised. She held a hand out. Reyna slowly looked at the hand. After a moment, she grabbed onto Annabeth's hand and was pulled to her feet. "You attacked Camila, even though you could have gotten Hylla's string."

"Yeah, I could have," Reyna said. She looked down and shook her head. "It just didn't feel right to leave you in danger. I can't imagine what the peacekeepers would have done to you."

Annabeth nodded and took a deep breath. She spoke, "I'm sorry, Reyna. I'm sorry for calling you a monster and for all of the other things that I called you. I'm sorry about everything that I did to you. I wish I could take it all back, but we have to focus on moving forward. We have to work together."

Reyna looked off in the distance. When she went to her therapist, she kept being told that she needed to forgive Annabeth and let go of the hate that was festering in her heart. That was one of the reasons she stopped seeing the therapist. The hatred for Annabeth was festered deep inside of her, and she didn't know how to stop it. Reyna shook her head.

"I can't," Reyna said. She looked at the ground and closed her eyes tightly. "I want to, but I can't. You ruined my entire life. You got me exiled and allowed a barbarian to flog me. You saw the things that I did to try and save the world, but you still didn't believe in me. You didn't trust me. How the hell can I even begin to forgive you?"

"I don't know, but the world depends on it," Annabeth answered. Reyna shook her head and took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and looked at Annabeth. The only thing she could do was shake her head once again. "Reyna, we have to work together. You can take a swing at me, curse me out, or do whatever you need to do to make yourself feel better. We have to trust each other."

"How?" Reyna asked. She stared at the barrier and felt frustrated tears in her eyes. How was she actually going to forgive Annabeth? "How can we trust each other after everything that has happened? In my most vulnerable moment, I told you everything about me. You used that knowledge to get me exiled, even after I told you multiple times about the consequences of the Senate finding out. I can't forgive you, and I don't think I ever will be able to."

Annabeth stared at her and looked away. Reyna looked down and swallowed back tears. Annabeth spoke, "I'm sorry, Reyna. I was just trying to protect my friends. You know that Eris manipulated me. I wasn't thinking straight."

"I wasn't thinking straight when Kronos was in my head," Reyna said. She looked up and didn't try to stop the tears that slipped out. "Yet, I am vilified by everyone for killing those two Hunters. I killed them to protect my sister and rescue the one person that has given my sister happiness. The only different between our situations was that everyone forgave you, even my sister."

Annabeth looked down and nodded slightly. She spoke, "I am sorry, Reyna. You tried to kill Jason, and you weren't under any kind of influence. You lied about where Piper's father was, and we barely rescued him in time. You did those when you weren't under any kind of influence, but I thought we forgave each other for this."

"It's all built on top of each other," Reyna hissed. She tried to speak, but her voice gave out. Reyna shook her head and turned away. It took her a few moments to find her voice. "I was flogged because you believed that I killed two Senators. You believed a barbarian infiltrator over me, and that was because of how unhinged I was. The only reason I was unhinged was because I had Kronos in my head influencing my every thought and causing me to spiral. When I freed myself from him, I wanted to make up for it, and you seemed to be trusting me as well, until the barbarian told you one, unbelievable lie."

"It wasn't unbelievable," Annabeth argued. All Reyna wanted to do was grab the nearest item and fling it down the hill. Anger was slowly starting to come back. "You were having blackouts, even before Kronos was influencing you. I made a huge mistake by trusting that barbarian, and I regret it every single day. I'm sorry, Reyna. You don't have to forgive me, but you have to trust me."

"I can't even do that," Reyna admitted. She sighed softly and looked down. Annabeth walked past her and towards the barrier. After a few moments, Reyna turned. Through the barrier, she could see Percy making his way up the hill. He placed a hand to his side of the barrier, but his hand didn't go through.

"Can you hear me?" Percy asked. His voice was muffled, but they could both hear him. Annabeth nodded quickly and placed her hand on the barrier. "What happened?"

"Two of the peacekeepers applied something to the barrier," Annabeth said. She glanced back at Reyna and then focused on Percy. "Reyna tried to stop them, and I got here too late to help. They applied the paste that did this and then disappeared into the shadows."

"I'll let Chiron know. We'll figure this out," Percy promised. Annabeth nodded her agreement. Percy glanced at Reyna. "Keep her safe, okay? You stay safe too. Something tells me that you two are the only ones who can stop this. Was Camp Jupiter affected like this?"

"I doubt it," Annabeth answered. She glanced back at Reyna, and all Reyna could do was nod her agreement. Annabeth had lied to Percy. She didn't tell Percy what Reyna had done. "I'm going to send a message to Camp Jupiter and tell them what happened."

"I'll send one to you as soon as we figure out what is going on," Percy said. He turned and ran away from the barrier. Reyna watched Percy run away. She swallowed painfully and looked at Annabeth.

"We have to work together," Annabeth repeated. Reyna nodded and looked down. She closed her eyes, and a gentle hand grabbed her shoulder. "We need to send a message to everyone that we can and let them know what happened."

"No," Reyna said. She took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. Reyna looked at Annabeth. "The peacekeepers have a son of Iris, and he can watch Iris messages. He can even pull up old ones. Anything that we send in an Iris message will be heard by the peacekeepers."

"We'll find out another plan then," Annabeth said. Reyna nodded and looked away once again. She couldn't keep eye contact with Annabeth. "Reyna, we're going to figure this out, and we're going to get Hylla's string back. I promise."

All Reyna could do was nod once again. She heard the sound of a sword and quickly turned towards Annabeth. The daughter of Athena held out Reyna's sword. Reyna stared at her sword and slowly grabbed it. She remembered Eris taking it away from her, and truthfully, she thought it was gone for good. Reyna should have known the sword would find its way back to her.

"I'm sorry," Reyna said softly. She looked Annabeth in the eyes and then looked away. Reyna took a deep breath and tried to think. They would need to have another base of operations. It didn't seem like anyone could attack Camp Half-Blood, so they were safe. Camp Jupiter wasn't though. "You should go to Camp Jupiter and warn them."

"We should go," Annabeth said. Reyna slowly looked at her and shook her head. She couldn't go to Camp Jupiter. They had exiled her, and they wouldn't take too kindly to Reyna coming back. "They still believe in you, and they need a leader now."

"I can't," Reyna said. She heard more footsteps at the barrier and turned to see Arcadia. The goddess slowly studied the barrier and placed a hand to it. Her hand went right through the barrier, and she slowly stepped outside.

"Well, this is weird," Arcadia commented. She turned back around towards the barrier and placed her hand to it once again. Her hand seemed to run into a solid wall. "I've never seen anything like this ever before."

"Percy couldn't go through at all," Annabeth stated. She could see a crowd of demigods gathering near the bottom of the hill. Chiron gently pushed past all of them and made his way to the barrier, He was flanked by a few of the cabin leaders and Sally. Chiron placed his hand to the barrier, and his hand started to go through.

A child of Hecate placed a hand to the barrier, but it didn't go through. She muttered some words in Ancient Greek, but it didn't seem to do anything. Chiron slowly removed his hand from the barrier and spoke, "It only seem to affect demigods."

"I can't go back through," Arcadia stated. Clarisse shoved her way to the barrier and met Reyna's eyes. Without even testing the barrier first, she stepped right through it. Clarisse turned and placed her hand on the barrier. "And, neither can the champion. Any ideas, Chiron?"

"I don't know," Chiron admitted. He looked back at all of the campers. "Everyone meet at the dinner pavilion. We will discuss this and our next step."

It took a moment, but the campers and their cabin leaders started to walk away. The only who didn't seem to move was Sally. She stared at the barrier and seemed lost in thought. Chiron looked at her and spoke, "We should go speak to the campers."

Sally slowly placed her hand to the barrier, and her hand passed through without a problem. Sally spoke, "If I go through the barrier, I won't be able to go back through, but I have to help. Tell Percy I'll be safe."

Protests came from both Chiron and Annabeth, but it fell on deaf ears. Sally stepped through the barrier and looked at them. Her gaze seemed to focus on Reyna the longest. Sally spoke, "I'm going to help. What is our next step?"

"I'm going to Camp Jupiter to rally everyone there," Annabeth said. She glanced at Reyna, and all Reyna could do was shake her head. She knew that going back to her old camp would only bring up old wounds and distract them from the mission. "Can you get the Sixth Legion and the Amazons together? I'll try sending a message to the demititans, somehow."

"I'll go with the imperator to meet with the demititans. If they agree, we'll send them to Camp Jupiter," Arcadia said. She stood behind Reyna and gently placed a hand to her back. Reyna slowly relaxed and rubbed the hilt of her sword. She felt some of the anger in chest clear away. "I will take you three to Camp Jupiter first and then go with the imperator to rally the rest of our allies. It seems like the peacekeeper's have been planning this for a long time now. Their next move must be soon, so we have to be ready for it."


	54. Deus Mortuorum

Reyna slowly looked around the room that she was in. There was nothing in the room, other than three chairs and a table that she was sitting on. Arcadia stood at her side and was staring at the three people that were sitting in the three chairs. Reyna slowly studied her centurions.

Sparta was leaning back in the chair and staring at the ground. Bandages peeked out from underneath her shirt, and she was clearly in pain. Sparta had to fight though. Any member of the Sixth Legion that was in fighting condition would be making their way to Camp Jupiter. Anyone injured would stay at the Amazon base, and if the worst came to pass, they would be the last line of defense.

It had only been thirty minutes since Reyna had spread the serum on Camp Half-Blood's barrier, and she still couldn't get rid of her feeling of guilt. She played right into the peacekeeper's hands, and now, Camp Jupiter was vulnerable. Reyna sighed and closed her eyes.

Everyone at Camp Half-Blood was trapped. Nico couldn't use shadow travel. The few children of Hecate at the camp couldn't do anything. The barrier didn't respond to any kind of magic. Reyna took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She glanced at Bristol.

Bristol was sitting up straight in his chair and waiting for orders. He seemed relaxed, considering they were probably getting ready to go to war. Bristol glanced to his right, and Reyna did as well. Her gaze focused on Aquitaine.

After a few moments, Aquitaine slowly looked up. She had been stripped of her armor and weapons, and her hands were tied in front of her. Reyna spoke, "Sparta and Bristol, make sure everyone is ready. You'll be leaving with Arcadia to go to Camp Jupiter. You two will be in charge until I get there. Make sure to work with everyone there. Understood?"

"Of course, imperator," Bristol said. He stood and bowed. Reyna gave him a dismissive nod, and Bristol walked out of the room. Sparta slowly stood, but her gaze moved down towards Aquitaine. Sparta looked like she wanted to say something. Instead, she gave a pained half bow and walked out of the room. Reyna glanced Arcadia and gave her a nod. The goddess returned the nod and walked out of the room.

Silence filled the room for a few moments. Reyna finally spoke, "I overheard a message you sent to your sister. You said that if you kept playing a game, it would blow up in your face. What did you mean?"

"Julius Caesar always knew that I was a part of the wolf clan. He saved me from my father," Aquitaine said. She slowly looked at Reyna. There was no emotion on her face, but her eyes were tired and red, possibly from crying. They had both heard and seen Seva's execution. It had not been fast or pretty, and while Reyna knew that Neith had done the deed, the peacekeeper had been wearing armor from the Sixth Legion. It was the same armor that Reyna had given to Burza when they were going to go to Mount Olympus.

"My father wanted me to be the perfect protector, for my older sister. If I failed, I was punished. The punishments got worse the more and more that I failed. One day, he beat me within an inch of my life and told me to find my way back home. When he left me bleeding out at the barrier of the Sixth Legion, Caesar approached me. He offered me a new life, if I killed my father and helped them destroy the wolf clan," Aquitaine continued.

"Why turn your back on your family?" Reyna asked. Aquitaine rubbed her eyes and sighed tiredly. She was clearly exhausted. Reyna knew that Arcadia had thrown Aquitaine in a cell as she waited for judgment. "How do I know you won't do the same to the Sixth Legion?"

"I wouldn't," Aquitaine protested. She took a deep and shaky breath. "The Sixth Legion is my family. My father was not a real father to me. I was only born to be a guard for my sister. If I died, I don't think my father would have truly cared. The Council and the wolf clan fought for control of Europe, but my clan did terrible things to the people underneath them. Women were forced to have children with our strongest warriors, and when a woman grew too old to bear children, she was used as a toy for the men."

"The other clans didn't respect us. They feared us. We did terrible things to keep people in line. If a clan tried to rebel from father, he would gather up their children and do unspeakable acts," Aquitaine said. She looked down. "I couldn't be a part of that anymore. That is why I worked with Caesar to free Rome from the monster that was my father."

"I don't know how Seva survived the day of the assault. She should have bled out, since there was no one to help her. Sparta stabilized me long enough for Avaris to save my life. I know Caesar wiped their memories but I don't know how," Aquitaine continued. "When he learned that Seva was still alive, he decided to work with her and try to keep Rome in his grasp."

"Because of the prophecy?" Reyna asked. Aquitaine nodded and slowly sat back in the chair. "Now that Seva is dead, Rome is no longer truly under the wolf clan's control then, unless you have another clan member."

"They all died. I swear," Aquitaine said. "Caesar personally made sure all of them were dead. He spent time making sure all of the loose ends were tied up. Caesar did not take a massacre lightly. But the game that I spoke of was not telling you the truth about everything. I truly thought we could work with Seva. I didn't know she would do this."

"What of the bounties under your bed?" Reyna questioned. Aquitaine looked at her and shook her head. "You lied to me and almost got your fellow centurions killed. You knew that Seva led the Council, but you didn't tell me or Arcadia. When Caesar died, why didn't you tell me?"

"I am not a severion, and I would not kill any of the leaders," Aquitaine said. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, imperator. I swore to Caesar that I would never tell anyone else. I'm sorry."

Reyna closed her eyes. She knew that they couldn't afford to have any doubt going into a war, especially if they were fighting the Council's army. Reyna believed Aquitaine though. She believed that Aquitaine thought of the Sixth Legion as family and was doing what she thought was best. It had cost the legion greatly though.

"I understand what you have to do imperator, but please do not exile. Just kill me," Aquitaine said. Reyna slowly opened her eyes and looked at her centurion. "Nikaia is still out there, and if she gets her hands on me, she will do terrible things to me. The other clans would love to take a shot at me. Please just kill me."

"Give me your faceplate," Reyna ordered. Aquitaine nodded and unhooked the faceplate. Reyna slowly examined the piece of metal. There was a few lines of pink and red on the black armor. Aquitaine bowed her head, as if she was already on the butcher's block.. "You are going to be under Arcadia's direct command and do whatever she says. When she says you have earned this back, you will get it back."

Aquitaine stared up in shock. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she finally just nodded. Reyna stood and spoke, "I'm not going to exile you. I know how it feels to be torn from your home. At the same time, no one else is going to trust you. You'll have to earn that back."

"I will, imperator," Aquitaine said. She bowed her head and let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry."

"And, I'm sorry to hear about your sister," Reyna said. She glanced at the small fountain in the corner of the room. Seva's gruesome execution played in her head, and she shivered. The peacekeepers were monsters, and Reyna didn't know why she ever thought she could work with them. "I know you two had a rocky relationship, but I can't imagine what it feels like."

"I don't know how to feel," Aquitaine admitted. She looked at the ground and took another shaky breath. "Seva isn't the person that I thought she was, but she was still my sister. I should feel bad, but I don't. Honestly, I'm more worried about my present problems."

"I understand," Reyna said. She closed her eyes and heard a knock. "Find Arcadia and let her know what I told you. I do want you to tell me everything you know about these clans, once we make our way to Camp Jupiter."

"Of course, imperator," Aquitaine said. She bowed and walked towards the door. She placed a hand to the door, but after a moment, she looked back at Reyna. "Are we actually going inside Camp Jupiter?"

"We'll be at the front entrance," Reyna replied. Aquitaine nodded in understanding and looked like she was going to say something else, but she bowed and walked out of the room. Hylla glanced at Aquitaine and then stepped inside.

Hylla walked towards Reyna and gently grabbed her shoulder. Reyna sighed tiredly and allowed her sister to pull her into a hug. She rested her head against Hylla and stared at the ground. Hylla and Kinzie had just returned from going to their base, and they probably both knew what happened at Camp Half-Blood.

"Do you think you can handle going to Camp Jupiter?" Hylla asked. Reyna didn't respond and just stared at the ground. She had to go to Camp Jupiter, but that didn't mean she was going to go far inside. Hylla frowned and gently rubbed her back. "I'll be right there with you."

"I know," Reyna said. She sighed and closed her eyes. Reyna needed to tell Hylla about her string. Hylla needed to know that her string was in the hands of people who would kill her if Reyna didn't do exactly what they said. "We need to talk."

"That's why I came to find you," Hylla said. Reyna slowly pulled away from her sister and looked at her. "Kinzie and I have been tracking this old vault that Adonia told me about. We finally found it and just came back from there. The place was full of broken items and artifacts, and there was a dead body in the middle of all of it. The walls were covered in insane ramblings that was written in blood. We did find something important though."

Hylla placed a binder onto the table and opened it. Reyna stared at the bloody pictures that were inside the binder, but she recognized most of them. The pictures were of the peacekeepers, and there was a ton of notes written in Latin. Hylla spoke, "We found these scattered throughout the room. It seemed like someone didn't want this place to be found."

"Why not clean up the evidence then?" Reyna asked. Hylla shrugged and flipped to the last page. Reyna focused on the picture of Neith. To the right of the picture, there was a page that looked like it had been torn out of a history book. Reyna stared down at the picture of an ancient pharaoh. "That can't be her."

"This man seemed to think so," Hylla commented. Reyna stared down at the picture, and the pieces slowly fell into place. Cleopatra had been a pharaoh in the old lands: Egypt. She worked with the Romans, especially Julius Caesar. The two pictures looked the same. Cleopatra was Neith. "It calls her a magician, but I don't think she's going to pull a rabbit out of a hat anytime soon."

Reyna nodded and rested her head in her hands. Neith, or Cleopatra, or whatever the hell she wanted to call herself claimed to hate Romans, yet there was peacekeepers who were of Roman blood. Why did she work with people that she claimed to hate? Was it all some kind of game? Reyna sighed in anger. She hated not knowing. She hated having to stumble through everything and just reacting to the plans of those who were trying to destroy them.

"We have to go inside Camp Jupiter," Reyna muttered. Hylla glanced at her and nodded. She didn't comment or even seem to judge Reyna. Instead, Hylla placed a hand to her shoulder again. "I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try to."

"You can do this," Hylla promised. She gently rubbed Reyna's shoulder. "I'll be at your side, and Arcadia will as well."

"Thank you," Reyna said. She stood and heard a small hum. Reyna turned and looked at the fountain in the corner of the room. Hylla grabbed a coin and tossed it towards the fountain. An Iris message appeared, and Reyna felt anger hit her heart. The Iris message showed a picture of Neith.

"This is a message to all of the demigods out there," Neith stated. Her eyes didn't lock onto Reyna or Hylla, so it seemed like the message was actually being sent to everyone. Neith raised Kronos' blade and ran her finger across it. "You may not know my friends and I, but you will soon. I am going to tell you everything."

"We don't have to listen to this," Hylla began. She started to walk towards the Iris message. Reyna grabbed her sister's arm. There was something evil in Neith's eyes, and she was smiling coldly.

"We are called peacekeepers," Neith continued. "We have been working underneath Eirene: goddess of peace. That goddess does not know peace though. For centuries, she has been ordering her peacekeepers to kill, torture, destroy, and disrupt the balance of peace, all to satisfy her twisted definition of peace. Eirene has worked with Eris: goddess of strife. How can those two truly work together for peace?"

"Eirene wants to kill all of the demigods. That is why she planned an assassination of every demigod leader. We allowed the Sixth Legion to save those leaders, and we even tried to work with the imperator to save all of you," Neith said. She lowered the sword. "We really don't have any problems with demigods. They have been used by the gods and forced to sacrifice their lives to keep the heart of corruption beating."

"That heart will beat no longer. We are going to cripple Olympus and bring the gods to their knees," Neith continued. She looked at the message, and even though the message was being sent to everyone, Reyna felt the stare was reserved for her. "I know you have heard these threats before, and threats are really just words. Action is what proves your mettle."

Neith smiled and stepped to the side. Reyna's eyes widened as a goddess slowly looked up at the Iris message. Chains were wrapped around the goddess' wrists, and Golden Ichor flowed from her face. There was a nasty shoulder wound as well, and it seemed like she was in visible pain. Reyna stared at her mother.

Beleza stepped into view and grabbed onto Kronos' sword. The peacekeeper placed it to the back of Bellona's neck. All Reyna could do was stare. She wanted to be there to help her mother. How did the peacekeepers even manage to get their hands on Bellona?

"Reyna, this is a message for you," Beleza said. She looked at the Iris message, and a cruel smile came to her face. Beleza raised the sword, but she never moved her eyes from the Iris message. It was like she knew Reyna was watching. "I want you to hear and understand something very important: if you fuck with my family, I fuck with yours."


	55. One Last Fight

"Well, that is one dead goddess," Blake commented. His gaze focused on the message in front of him. Sarah slowly looked at her fellow leader before looking back at the Iris message. They had watched it three times now. It took two watches to actually understand that they had watched a goddess being executed. The third watch made the realize how much everything had really changed.

Sarah remembered the two demigods that visited the only hours before. The demigods wanted the demititans to stay in their base and stay out of the fight. If the demititans stayed at home, they wouldn't face any consequences. They would be allowed to live their lives like they had before.

"They actually killed a goddess," Mason said. He sat down and stared at the Iris message. His fingers ran across the vials on his vest, and the other hand ran through his hair nervously. "So, these guys paid us a happy visit and are now killing goddesses. Who are they?"

"Trouble," Ryke answered. She leaned back in her seat and pointed to the demigod that held a golden blade. Sarah had seen it enough times to know that it was Kronos' blade. Didn't the Olympians have it? "That is a severion."

"She doesn't have a tattoo," Blake noted. He stood and slowly paced around. One hand ran through his hair and seemed to be trying to fix his mohawk. His gaze moved towards Mason. "Did the Amazons freak you out that badly, Collins?"

"No," Mason answered. He fixed his collar. "I'm just thinking about the decision that we have ahead of us. Should we work with the demigods, or should we just stay at home and watch what happens? I say we stay home."

"We need to help," Ryke said. She shook her head and pointed towards the demigod in the Iris message. "I have seen her before. She did not take targets. She was trying to find demigods for her cause. They want to destroy the world. We cannot allow that."

"They just want to destroy the gods. I say to let them do it," Mason said. He shook his head, and his fingers tapped against the table. "Who are we to interfere in business that does not belong to us? Let the world burn."

"Hey, I'm here for whatever the consensus is," Blake said. He raised his hands. "It's pretty clearly laid out for us. Those demigods, the peacekeepers, will leave us alone if we don't interfere. That is if they are telling the truth. The two camps will ask us for help, and I don't think we'll get any rewards. Can we allow the Olympians to die though?"

"When have the Olympians ever done anything for us?" Mason asked. "We helped them find the shield and destroy Ouranos, and we get a camp. We didn't get that camp as a reward. It was just so they could keep an eye on us and have us under their thumb. Then, we help them with their war with the Arimaspi, and what does that get us?"

"Our position is cursed. Thorn died because he betrayed us, and he only betrayed us because he thought that he could save us. Red died because she was working with her crazy mother, and she took Ulysses with her. We were betrayed by Oliver. Alex died protecting a daughter of Athena. Our lives went completely downhill the second that we met the demigods," Mason continued. "I'm done sacrificing the lives of our people."

"Are we really going to allow them to destroy the world?" Ryke questioned. "If the Olympians fall, this world is going to be forever changed. I don't know what that entails, but it scares me. The world will fall into chaos."

"Well, what do you think Sarah? You've been quiet," Blake said. Sarah slowly looked at her fellow leaders. They all looked up to her, despite the fact that she was the youngest. Sarah sighed and closed her eyes. "You've been wanting to leave the camps and the Olympians alone. This is the perfect opportunity."

"I know," Sarah said. "I just don't know what to do. It's easy to be sick of everything, but at the same time, I would feel terrible if we left the demigods to die. We can take a vote, but I still don't know my decision."

"I say the demigods and their Olympians can go straight to Tartarus. That's my vote," Mason said. He leaned back but continued to run his fingers along his vials.

"We need to help," Ryke insisted. She sighed and muttered something in German. Then she switched back to the language of the Titans. "I am afraid that my brother will work with the Sixth Legion, and that he will die doing so."

"Tell your brother to stay out of it then," Mason commented. Ryke glanced at him and glared. She muttered something in German. Mason said something back in French. Blake rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Sarah studied her fellow leaders.

"Again, I'm with the consensus. I don't want to make any waves," Blake said. He looked Sarah and smiled slightly. "I guess that means you're our deciding vote."

"I guess it does," Sarah muttered. She stared at the table. It was true that she was tired of helping the demigods. They didn't get anything in return for helping. The Olympians would never give them anything, and the thought that the demititans would finally get rewarded if they helped the Olympians one last time was just bullshit.

On the other hand, Sarah couldn't just allow the Olympians to fall. She didn't owe them anything, but she knew that her father would help the Olympians. Most of their parents would help the Olympians, out of fear of punishment. Sarah also knew that the Sixth Legion would fight to their dying breath to help the camps, at least Camp Jupiter. There was no doubt in Sarah's mind that the camps would try to help the Olympians. That was a lot of innocent demigods who might die.

Everything really hinged on if the assassins could take out the Olympians. There was a huge difference between taking out a minor goddess, even if she was a goddess of war, and actually taking out the Olympians by going to their home turf. Did Sarah really think the Olympians could be destroyed?

If the demititans didn't help and the Olympians won, they would be punished by the gods. If they helped and the Olympians didn't win, they would be punished by the assassins. There was no winning for them. Sarah let out a frustrated sigh. She wasn't sure what they were going to do.

"I don't know," Sarah finally muttered. She closed her eyes tiredly. Sarah missed the days when she knew in her gut what the best choice would be. Alex would either be right, or she would be so off her rocker that it was easy to disagree with her. "I think we need to do what is best for the demititans, but I don't know what that is. We can't win in this scenario."

"We really can't," Blake said. He shifted and looked down. "Look, I don't think this should be a decision of just the leaders, as we won't be the only ones fighting. I know we're not a democracy, but maybe, we can be one for a single decision."

The room fell silent, and everyone seemed to be thinking over the words. Sarah found herself nodding. It honestly sucked to order their comrades to sacrifice their lives for people that didn't trust them or believe in them. Sarah spoke, "I agree, but I don't want there to be pressure from the group. Anyone who wants to help can meet us at the entrance in a hour. I'll send a message to Arcadia."

"Are you three going?" Mason asked. Sarah looked up and nodded. Ryke quickly nodded as well. The only one who seemed to really think it over was Blake, but he finally nodded. Mason looked up and let out a curse. "Alright. I'll join you guys. Can't have you breaking a bone and not knowing how to set it."

"Are we suppose to?" Ryke asked, and a look of concern crossed her face. Mason laughed and shook his head. He stood. "Oh, was that a joke?"

"It was. I'll let everyone know," Mason said. He nodded to them and walked out of the room. Blake looked down at the table and tapped his fingers against it. He seemed nervous.

"You will not be like your brother," Ryke said. Blake slowly looked up. "He betrayed us, but you will not. I can see that you are a good person. Just be yourself, Blake. Do not be afraid to find your voice. You actually have good ideas when you speak."

"That's the first time someone said I have good ideas. Remember when we decided to go cave diving," Blake said, and his eyes moved towards Sarah. A small smile came to Sarah's face as she remembered the sea monster that had almost killed them. Blake suddenly frowned and looked down. "I just want to make up for what Thorn did."

"You will," Sarah said. Blake looked up and smiled slightly. Sarah stood. "I'm going to send a message to Arcadia and see how we can help. Blake, you organize everyone who is going to help. Ryke, make sure those that stay have a safe place. They can't stay here, so we'll have to use another base."

"Will do," Blake said. He stood and walked out of the room. Ryke stood and gently gripped Sarah's shoulder. Then, she turned and walked out of the room. It took Sarah a few moments to walk out of the room.

Honestly, Sarah wasn't sure why she was helping the demigods. They didn't realize deserve help, but if Sarah didn't help them, she would feel terrible. She couldn't just stand to the side and watch people die. That wasn't what a good person did.

Sarah walked towards the room that they used to send messages. She grabbed a Golden Drachmae and tossed it towards the fountain. Sarah spoke, "Iris, show me Arcadia at the Sixth Legion base."

Sarah watched the message slowly form to show Arcadia. The goddess was looking down at a map, and it seemed like she was by herself. Sarah spoke, "Can we talk?"

Arcadia quickly looked up and turned towards Sarah. Her eyes focused on Sarah's face, and the goddess spoke, "Demititan, what do you need?"

"The peacekeepers approached us and wanted us to stay out of this war. They promised that they would leave us alone, but I can't do that. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I sat to the side and watched innocents die," Sarah said. Arcadia studied her and remained silent. "We're going to let the others decide if they want to help. Those who want to help can do whatever you need."

"Camp Half-Blood is blocked off, and the Greeks can't get out, along wit the Hunters," Arcadia said. She glanced down. "Camp Jupiter is going to be our base of operations. The Sixth Legion and Amazons are preparing to go there. That's all we really have."

"If you can get us there, we can help. We just need a hour," Sarah said. Arcadia looked at her and nodded. It seemed like the goddess was distracted. "How is Reyna taking it?"

"I can tell she doesn't want to go back to Camp Jupiter. There is too many feeling there, and I'm not quite sure she can sort through all of them," Arcadia explained.

"I meant about her mother being executed," Sarah said. Arcadia's eyes flickered up, and a look of surprise crossed her face. "Oh, did you not know? They just sent out the message. I assumed you saw it."

"I have to speak to the imperator," Arcadia said. Sarah nodded in understanding. Arcadia hurried towards the door. She suddenly stopped and looked back at Sarah. "I'll see you in a hour. Be ready."

Sarah nodded and watched the goddess leave the room. She stood and ended the Iris message. Sarah slowly looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Sarah could not believe that the demititans had gotten themselves into another fight. She just hoped they could escape this one with their lives.


	56. Born in Purple

Reyna stared at the entrance of Camp Jupiter and tried to distinguish the feelings in her chest. The most prominent one was anger, but she always felt that. Anger seemed to define her life lately. Fear, grief, and regret shot through her chest as well. Reyna was an emotional mess, and she could feel herself getting ready to lash out at the next person to upset her.

Her mother's execution played in her head over and over again. Whenever Reyna closed her eyes, she could remember Beleza's evil smirk as she decapitated Bellona. The goddess showed no emotion, which somehow made it worse. Bellona knew she wasn't going to escape and had just accepted her fate. The last interaction that Reyna had with her mother was arguing with her.

The two had their arguments, and Bellona was a terrible mother. She was still Reyna's mother though. Bellona, for all her faults, did give Reyna strength to keep fighting. Now, Reyna was remembering all of the things that she said to her mother. She could never tell Bellona how sorry she was.

A shaky breath left Reyna, and she slowly looked up at the entrance of Camp Jupiter. Thoughts of her mother slipped from her mind and were replaced with memories of being exiled from her home. She remembered the feelings of pain, anger, and betrayal. There was many nights when she woke up after reliving the moment over and over again. Reyna shook her head and tried to get rid of the memories. She could not dwell in the past, but then again, dwelling in the present wasn't such a great idea either.

After taking a deep breath, Reyna walked towards the entrance. Her eyes moved down to her right forearm. When she had first been exiled, the word exilium stood out on her arm to show everyone that she had been kicked out of her home. Reyna couldn't remember when it happened, but there came a point where the tattoo changed back to it's original form of five tally marks and a sword crossed with a torch. It was gold now, as if the gods themselves didn't want Reyna to be exiled.

But, they did. They had proven that time and time again. No one wanted Reyna at Camp Jupiter, so why was she here anyway? Reyna could just leave and have Arcadia handle everything. It would save a ton of drama and arguments.

"The only leadership they have is their centurions," Arcadia stated. Reyna blinked and slowly looked at the goddess. Arcadia was walking side by side with her, and their shoulders were touching. It seemed to be Arcadia's way of giving moral support. "Will that be enough?"

"I don't know," Reyna admitted. She rubbed her forehead as memories of her time at Camp Jupiter came rushing back. Panic hit her chest a moment later. "I can't do this, Arcadia. I can't be here."

"You can," Arcadia said. "You were unfairly exiled. I know that it still stabs at your heart, but they need you. We all have to work together. Let Camp Jupiter raise two temporary leaders from their centurions, and we can work with them."

Reyna nodded and closed her eyes. She could just feel Annabeth's gaze on them, but she ignored it. They made it inside the camp grounds, and Reyna felt another pair of eyes on her. She slowly met Hazel's eyes. The centurion gave her a small nod.

"What's the situation here?" Reyna asked. She followed Hazel further into Camp Jupiter and kept her eyes focused ahead of her. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"We need a leader," Hazel answered. Reyna stopped walking and slowly looked at Hazel. Her once friend gave her a comforting look. "We need someone with experience, Reyna. The praetors and senators aren't here to help us. Each centurions think they should be raised to lead us to war, and it's just causing arguments."

Reyna remained silent. Hazel glanced at her and then started to walk towards New Rome. As they followed, Reyna could see legionaries rushing around, most likely to build fortifications that they would need to defend themselves from an attack.

"Everyone is at the Senate House," Hazel explained. Reyna nodded. As they stepped towards the boundary line of the city, Reyna heard a loud noise, like a shriek. She turned her head and stared at the god that had appeared from thin air. Terminus stared back at her, and if he had arms, he would probably be stroking his chin.

Reyna and Terminus stared at each other. Out of the corner of her eye, Reyna could see Arcadia staring at Terminus. Arcadia looked at Hazel and pointed to her own arms, and Hazel quickly put a finger to her lips.

"Are you crossing your Rubicon?" Terminus questioned. Reyna's eyes narrowed, but she remained silent. Her eyes slowly moved to the Senate House that was still in the distance. Terminus didn't say another word and seemed to be waiting for an answer.

"I'm not Caesar. I'm nothing like him," Reyna stated. She met Terminus' eyes. "I know you must hate the idea of an exile in your camp, but we have to work together one more time to end this threat to the Olympians."

"I do not like the idea of an exile entering my camp," Terminus agreed. His eyes moved to Reyna's right forearm. "But, I do not see an exile in front of me. The Olympians pulled me away from this camp before, and Julia died because of it. I have watched many of the demigods that I am suppose to help protect die. Right now, we need the protector of Rome to take charge."

Reyna studied Terminus not expecting the endorsement. The god seemed to give her a nod, and he disappeared. She finally looked away and saw everyone was watching her closely. Reyna looked away and then continued to walk. She needed to just not think.

The four of them made it into the Senate House, and Reyna slowly looked around. The room looked just like how she remembered it, even though it had been rebuilt. The praetors' chairs didn't look like they had moved an inch, and she could see some of the old scratches were in the arm of her old chair.

As soon as Reyna's foot hit the polished floor and squeaked, everyone turned to look at her. She tried to meet their eyes, but she quickly found herself looking at her own centurions. Sparta and Bristol were standing by the centurions from Camp Jupiter. Reyna glanced at Sally, who was standing off to the side with Hylla. Clarisse was standing by the demititan leaders.

"Let's get everyone up to speed," Annabeth said. She walked into the middle of the room, drawing everyone's attention. "Two hours ago, Camp Half-Blood's barriers were sabotaged. It is impossible for anyone to get in or out. That means we are on our own. We think the Council's army is going to attack."

"The Council's army is made up of many different clans. We can manipulate their differences, but they will be hungry for blood," Arcadia added. She crossed her arms. "They think that a member of the Sixth Legion killed the leader of the Council, but we were framed. They also do not take kindly to Romans, even if they are from Camp Jupiter.

"They are not all demigods either, so we will have to use special weapons for this," Arcadia continued. She sighed and crossed her arms. "We must work together in this time, so all of you centurions need to promote a leader and do it quickly."

The centurions all looked at each other, but the tension was clear. Arcadia shook her head in annoyance. Annabeth looked concerned as well. Reyna studied the centurions in front of her, and she was surprised when one stepped forward. Leila slowly looked at her fellow centurions, and then, her gaze focused on Reyna.

"Reyna use to be a praetor, and she was a great one at that. I am more than willing to raise my sword in her name and have her lead us again," Leila said. Reyna stared at the centurion. The last time she had led Leila into battle was at the temple of Fates, and she thought Leila had died. They found the badly injured centurion during the war with the Arimaspi.

"I can't," Reyna said quickly. She looked away. Reyna forgave herself for the temple of Fates, but that didn't mean it hadn't shaken her confidence. There was no way she could lead Camp Jupiter into battle again. "It doesn't matter anyway. I am an exile and shouldn't be leading any of you into anything."

"You were unfairly exiled," another voice said. Reyna slowly looked at Gwen. She still remembered how Gwen had been exiled by a barbarian posing as a Speculatores. Reyna wanted to recruit Gwen for the Sixth Legion, but Camp Jupiter was more than willing to overturn Gwen's unfair exile and have her come back as a centurion. "Besides, you came back to save us when there was a coup. I would put my faith in you any day of the week."

"The vote to exile Reyna wasn't fair," Annabeth added. Reyna slowly looked at Annabeth and met her eyes. "We were being manipulated by Eris. That is the only reason that Reyna was exiled. I regret it, and I wish I could take it back. The only thing we can do now is try to rectify the mistake."

"Frank thinks the same," Hazel said. Reyna closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. "He had them create a statue for you in the Hall of Praetors. He keeps telling me about how he wishes he could turn back time and not change his vote. We turned our back on a fellow Roman. We should have never done that, and we paid the price for it."

"If Reyna is willing to lead us into battle, I am willing to fight under her command," Leila said. Reyna slowly opened her eyes and looked at the centurions. Would they actually want her to lead them? Could she even do that?

"I agree," Gwen said. Hazel voiced her agreement as well. One by one, the rest of the centurions voiced their agreement. Reyna stared at all of them and closed her eyes once again. She finally took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Reyna still held the failures of the temple of Fates on her shoulders, but she had done a respectable job trying to keep the rest of Camp Jupiter alive afterwards. These centurions were willing to put their faith in her, so she needed to put faith in herself. Reyna wanted to protect whoever she could, and this was a start.

"If you are all willing for me to lead you, I will," Reyna said. She swallowed painfully and tried to keep the panic from building in chest. "The first thing we need to do is fortify the camp. If there is an attack, we need to be ready."

"Can you really be ready in one hour?" a voice asked. Reyna tensed and slowly turned around. She glared at the Iris message in front of her. Neith smiled at her and sat on a desk. She held Kronos' sword in her hand, and there was still Golden Ichor on it. The room was darkened, and the only light in the room focused on Neith's face. "I am done playing games, imperator."

"So am I," Reyna said. She clenched her fist in anger. Reyna was very aware of everyone who was standing behind her and staring at the message. Neith hummed softly and lifted a string. She swung it in her fingers. "Leave my sister out of this."

"Oh, that would be no fun," Neith said. She lowered the string and stared at Reyna. It took every bit of Reyna's willpower to keep her face emotionless. "I am no fool, imperator. I see the army that you are building. All of the groups are finally coming together as one unit, but it's too late for that. Seva's little army is going to crush yours.

"I don't care how close your army is," Reyna said. Her gaze moved back to all of the centurions who put their faith in her. "You are not going to be able to take this city. I guarantee you."

"Did I not say earlier that my army is a hour away. Are you really ready to face them?" Neith questioned. Reyna glared. One hour wouldn't be a lot of time to fortify their defenses, but they had to make it work. "You are running out of time, imperator, and you know it. There will be a large battle soon, and do you know what I love about large battles?"

"I love the fact that there are no true targets," Neith continued. Reyna felt the hopelessness of their situation sneaking in. How could the army already be there? If it was a large group of barbarians, they would need some kind of divine assistance to get all of them there. "In a large battle, you are just trying to kill who is ahead of you to survive, but I am going to change that."

"One thousand coins await whoever can bring me the head of one of your legion," Neith continued. "I am going to wipe Julius Caesar's legacy off of this world. When you had one of your centurions send out a message stating that Caesar was dead, I didn't believe it. I thought it was just another one of his tricks. I know now that he is truly gone, and the only thing left of him is the Sixth Legion but not for long."

"Your centurions also have bounties on their heads. I want them brought to me alive, and you can't imagine the things that I am going to do to them," Neith whispered. "I am going to send out a message to every single demigod telling them of my bounty. I will also send every single demigod at Camp Jupiter a warning about all of the terrible things that I am going to do them, thanks to you."

"I am going to kill you," Reyna interrupted. She stepped closer to the message. "You are not going to threaten my legion, my family, anymore. You will not threaten the place that use to be my home. Shut your mouth."

"Romans destroyed my empire. I was too weak from trying to save it to be able to stop them. I tried to host a goddess of my time, but she rejected me and wouldn't allow me to save my world," Neith hissed. "I could do nothing, as my world crumbled. When I was on the verge of death, the old gods came to me and gave me the last of their power to avenge them. That is why your camp will lie in ruins."

"When I destroy your army, every man, woman, and child will be rounded up. I will slowly and painfully end all of their lives, and I am going to make you watch everything, imperator. Your empire is going to crumble, just like mine did. You will watch it fall, like mine did," Neith promised. Reyna ran her sword through the Iris message and tried to keep herself calm. All of Neith's threats ran through her head and only angered her more.

"Get everyone ready for war and make sure that we have fortifications built," Reyna ordered. She sheathed her sword and slowly turned around. Most of the centurions had already left to get everyone ready. Reyna slowly looked at her sister.

"I thought Eirene had my string," Hylla whispered. Reyna looked up at her sister and shook her head sadly. She tried to think of what to say. Instead, Hylla grabbed her arm. "We'll figure it out. You need to stay calm and collected."

"I know," Reyna said. She took a deep breath. "Let's make a plan and get it into action. By the end of today, I want Neith's head on stick. I don't know, but we have to do it."

"We do it together," Annabeth said. Reyna glanced at the daughter of Athena and nodded. Then, she walked towards a table and started to pull it to the middle of the room. Clarisse helped her. Reyna grabbed a few maps of Camp Jupiter and spread them on the table. Hylla and Annabeth joined her side, and Arcadia trailed behind. Clarisse looked down at the maps, and Sally hesitantly joined them.

"We can't plan a fight without you guys," Reyna said as she looked up. She met the eyes of the demititan leaders. Sarah glanced at the others and motioned for them to follow. Sarah took a place next to Reyna. "We are all equals, and we need to work together. I think I have a plan, but I want everyone to hear it first."

Reyna slowly looked around the table. Annabeth was watching her closely, but there was no hatred or anger in her eyes. For the first time in a long time, the two weren't at each others' throats. The only question was if they could keep it that way. Hylla gently grabbed Reyna's arm, almost comforting.

"You got this," Hylla whispered quietly. Reyna nodded and studied the map. She then looked around the table and began to tell them her plan. If everything went right, they would be able to deal the barbarians a devastating blow that would make them hesitant to attack again. From there, they would have to find a way to destroy the peacekeepers.


	57. Welcome to Hel

They were ready for war. For once, they would not be taken by surprise. Fortifications had been made, and the armies were ready. Arcadia had already moved those who were children and unable to fight to the Amazon base. Everyone else was going to fight to the death.

Reyna sighed softly and hoped it didn't really come to that. She was still trying to figure out what the peacekeepers were trying to do. They seemed dead set on killing the Olympians, but ever since Reyna killed Burza, they seemed ready to destroy the camps. There was no way they have given up on their first goal though, so what was the play?

Were they trying to destroy the demigods, so the Olympians wouldn't have any backup? It made the most sense, but the peacekeepers might also take losses.. They were so powerful that they couldn't sit out of the fight. The Olympians would have time to ready themselves. Reyna sighed and walked towards the Senate House.

They were going to allow the barbarians to go through Camp Jupiter and make it to the barrier of New Rome. From there, the demititans and members of the Sixth Legion that were hiding in the body of the camp would attack the barbarians from behind. The Romans and Amazons at the front of the line would defend the barrier. The barbarians would be trapped in between the two and take incredible losses, if everything went according to plan.

"Imperator!" a voice called. Reyna turned her head and watched one of their scouts run towards her. He let out a single deep breath and bowed. "The barbarians are on the horizon. They are about ten minutes away."

"Tell everyone to get ready," Reyna said. She watched the scout run away. Reyna tried to calm herself and focus her thoughts. While her main goal was protecting the camp, her secondary goal was to find Neith and take back Hylla's string. Reyna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. This was going to be one war that they were going to win. It didn't matter what they had to do.

Reyna heard a hum behind her. She quickly turned and stared at the woman that was standing across from her. A cloak blanketed the woman, but there was no mistaking her. Black, dead eyes slowly examined Reyna's entire body and pierced into her soul. The goddess smiled coldly and closed the distance between the two of them.

The only thing Reyna wanted to do was run, but fear kept her rooted in place. The goddess lumbered towards her and placed one hand to her cheek. Reyna tried to pull away but couldn't. All she could do was whimper as the goddess brought her other hand to Reyna's temple.

"Phrike," Reyna whispered. The goddess was the one who caused Reyna to start hearing voices. She forced Reyna to relive the night that her father died. How was she back? Terminus was suppose to keep immortals out. Phrike smiled coldly and stroked Reyna's hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Did you really think that the sins of your past would go away?" Phrike whispered. Reyna didn't respond. Phrike pushed Reyna into the wall but didn't let go of her. She forced Reyna to sit down and kept her head pinned against the wall. "Besides, I missed you, demigod. Your fear is very refreshing."

Reyna closed her eyes tightly. She wanted to be anywhere but there. If Phrike made her relive that night one more time, Reyna didn't know what she was going to do. There was no way that she could go through it again. Her mental state was fragile enough. Phrike could shatter it like glass.

"Please don't," Reyna begged. She closed her eyes and heard whispers all around her. The whispers accused her of being a murderer and a traitor, just like they had when she relived the memory of killing her father. Reyna tensed and felt herself starting to be pulled back into that night. "Please. I can't do this again. Please don't."

"Don't fight it. Embrace the madness," Phrike whispered. The voices started to get louder and louder, but they suddenly stopped. Reyna tensed and didn't open her eyes. If she did, she would be back at her old house. She would be forced to relive the death of her father.

"I can't do this, Phrike. Please stop," Reyna whispered. The air grew extremely cold, and her teeth chattered. Reyna placed both hands to her face. "Please. I can't take this mental manipulation anymore. Just make it stop."

"There is no Phrike here," a voice said. Reyna didn't recognize the voice. She took a deep breath and slowly lowered her hands. After taking another deep breath, Reyna opened her eyes. A woman stared down at her. This wasn't Phrike though. One side of the woman's face was absolutely beautiful and looked like it had came from the cover of a beauty magazine. The other side of her face was the exact opposite. Black, disease ridden skin covered that side of her face.

Reyna slowly scooted backwards and looked at the room that she was in. The room had no door to enter or exit. The walls were black but covered in ice. Reyna spoke, "Where am I?"

"A place of safety," the woman answered. She stood and snapped her fingers. A block slowly rose from the ground, and as the woman sat on it, the block formed a throne. "It is a place where you will be accepted for exactly who you are."

Reyna placed both hands to the ground. Her skin burned at how cold it was. Reyna quickly moved her hands and kept them close to herself. She took a shaky breath and carefully stood. Her armor did little to protect her from the cold, and she was starting to shake from it. The woman studied her and had a curious look on her face.

"You are special," the woman whispered. "You are not bound by the laws of the demigod world. You can go beyond your Roman and Greek world and become something more than your pathetic self."

"Who are you?" Reyna asked. Her teeth chattered, and she pulled her arms closed to her chest. Any warmth that she could get would be very welcome. "Where am I?"

"This place is known as Helheim, and I am Hel," the woman answered. Hel smiled softly. Reyna frowned in confusion. She had no clue who the woman in front of her was. "Your people would call this an Underworld, and a god, I believe his name is Hades, rules your Underworld. I am the ruler for the dead here."

Reyna looked down. She knew that Neith was from Egypt and had the powers of their old gods. How many other sets of gods were there? How did they not run into them before? Reyna took a shaky breath and stared as she saw it leave her mouth. The temperature seemed to drop more.

"Are you familiar with Helheim? Jotunheim? Midgard? Or, maybe Ragnarok?" Hel questioned. Reyna shook her head and shivered again. "Ragnarok is the end of times. A great story was laid out about what our fates would be. Everyone has a role to play, but I do not like my role. I do not like how my story is suppose to play out. That is why I have called you here, at great expense."

"You are beyond your world," Hel continued. Reyna slowly looked at her. "You can step into my world and help change things. My army is suppose to march with Loki, and after our great war, the world will be washed anew. I do not want a new world. I want to rule the world, and you can help me."

"I can't," Reyna said. She shivered once again and tried to calm herself. The voices were starting to come back, and all she wanted to do was stay calm.

"You can walk past the lines of story and help us create our own destiny," Hel said. "You are no longer bound by the laws of your world. You can step into other worlds and help or hinder those in that world. I offer you a chance to save your world, before you help me take over mine."

Hel held her hand out. The ground shook, and a sword slowly raised from the ground. Reyna stared at the sword. Hel stood and walked towards the sword. She pulled it out of the ground and tossed it towards Reyna.

Reyna caught the sword and studied it. The blade seemed to be made of some kind of black iron. Icicles seemed to be splattered across the sword. There was ten oddly shaped symbols on the blade of the sword. Reyna had never seen anything like it.

"Ten runes for ten foes," Hel whispered. She walked behind Reyna and gently grabbed her right arm. Hel moved her fingers down to the scar on Reyna's forearm. An ice cold feeling shot through Reyna's hand, and she cried out in pain. Hel tightened her grip for a few moments but suddenly pulled away. "I can be a great dealer of fortune for you. Clench your fist."

Reyna looked up in confusion and then slowly looked back at her right arm. Her hand still wouldn't clench fully, even though it had been almost two months since Atropos had cut into it. Multiple people had told Reyna that she wouldn't be able to use her hand properly ever again. Reyna slowly clenched her fist. It closed fully, with no issues.

"I can give you strength back in your arm," Hel whispered, and she grabbed Reyna's forearm. Reyna gasped as the ice cold feeling shot through her arm once again. "It's just a matter of repairing the damage that was done. I have a very generous offer for you."

There was no words for Reyna to say. Her hand had bothered her for so long, and now, someone was offering to fix. There was strings attached, and Reyna didn't even know who Hel really was. But, someone was offering her a solution. After a few moments, Reyna spoke, "What are your terms?"

"I offer you a repaired hand and this blade," Hel said. Reyna glanced at the sword that she was holding in her left hand. "It doesn't look like much, but appearances can be deceiving. I know there are ten people who are making your life difficult, and there is no easy way to kill them. They are immortal, from what I understand."

Reyna nodded and watched Hel gently run a hand up and down her right arm. The icy feeling was all throughout her arm, to the point that she couldn't feel much in it. Hel continued, "This sword does not like people who break the rules of reality. This sword will kill all ten for you. For each death, a rune will light. When that tenth head hits the floor and the tenth rune is lit, your soul will be mine."

"Soul?" Reyna asked. The icy feeling spread to the rest of her body. She wasn't cold anymore, just relaxed. "Why would you want my soul?"

"With your soul, we will turn the tides," Hel whispered. Her lips were right next to Reyna's ear. "You will fight in Ragnarok. You will lead my army, and we will destroy them all. We will write our own destiny, our own story."

Reyna stared at the sword. Her eyes moved down to her hand, and she slowly clenched her fist. How was Hel able to heal her, yet none of the Greek or Roman gods could. Were they lying to her? Hel hummed softly and continued to rub Reyna's forearm.

"Just think about it," Hel said. She gently took the sword from Reyna and ran a hand over it. As her hand ran over the blade, a sheathe slowly started to appear around it. Reyna blinked a few times. Hel had lifted her hand from Reyna's forearm, allowing her to think clearly.

"No," Reyna said. She quickly pulled away from Hel. The cold feeling starting to disappear, and as it did, Reyna realized what she had almost agreed to. "No. I'm not selling my soul to anyone."

"Even if it means saving your family," Hel wondered. Reyna remained silent. Hel offered the sword to her. Reyna stared at her, but she took another step back and shook her head once again. Hel smiled. "You should think about my offer one more time. Eternity is a long time to suffer alone."

Reyna glared and shook her head once again. Hel snapped her fingers, and Reyna felt the feeling of ice disappear. She opened her eyes and took deep breaths. Phrike stared at her and frowned. Reyna could see her reflection in the goddess' eyes. Her eyes were almost completely blue, but they were slowly fading back to black.

"Where did you go?" Phrike whispered. She pressed her head against Reyna's. The goddess' breath almost caused Reyna to choke. It tasted just like the middle of a losing battle, one full of injuries and death. "You didn't go back to your past. Where did you go?"

"I don't know," Reyna answered. She wheezed painfully and tried to not choke on the stench. Reyna slowly moved her eyes around. If she focused on Phrike too long, the gaze would consume her. "Why are you doing this? We haven't done anything to you."

"No, you haven't," Phrike confirmed. She kept her grip on Reyna's jaw but sat by her. Reyna was too terrified to move. Phrike hummed softly in her ear and leaned on her. "You demigods have not done a thing, but you are ruled by the Olympians. You will protect them with your lives, but we cannot allow that."

Reyna tried to speak, but she started stuttering before she could even get a word out. Phrike smiled at her and gently placed her other hand to Reyna's face. Phrike spoke, "Zeus gave more recognition to the minor gods, thanks to Percy Jackson. Zeus spared us from punishment for helping Ouranos, thanks to you. But, a few good acts will not make up for an eternity of injustice."

"We are going to help the peacekeepers destroy the Olympians," Phrike said. She moved one hand from Reyna's face but didn't let go of Reyna's jaw. Phrike gently grabbed Reyna's right arm and examined her hand. "I was not wrong, was I? Your hand bothered you, just like your father's shoulder bothered him. It drove you past the point of insanity, since it stopped you from completely destroying Ouranos. It was because of your hand that you allowed Kronos to take you as a vessel, and we both know how that ended."

Reyna didn't say a word. Her heart was racing so fast that it felt like it was going to burst from her chest. Her entire body was shaking, and all she wanted to do was get away from the goddess. Being back with Hel would have been better than this. Somehow, this was even worse than having to relive the memory of killing her father. Phrike sighed and stood, forcing Reyna to stand with her.

"I guess we should get on with our day," Phrike commented. She shoved Reyna into the wall and placed both hands to her temple. Reyna heard the voices growing louder, and she closed her eyes tightly. "Two old friends can't just catch up. We have work to do."

Reyna couldn't beg for Phrike to stop. Instead, she tensed and waited for the madness to happen. Phrike suddenly yelled in pain. Reyna's eyes snapped open, and she watched Arcadia throw Phrike to the ground. Arcadia pinned the goddess and punched her repeatedly.

Reyna slowly slid down the wall and brought her knees to her chest. She buried her face in her knees and tried to stop the panic that was running through her. Someone grabbed her shoulders, and Reyna tensed.

"Take deep breaths," Arcadia ordered. After a few moments, Reyna opened her eyes. Arcadia stared down at her and examined her face. "I'm here for you. I just need you to calm down and take deep breaths, okay? Please calm down."

Reyna nodded and saw movement behind Arcadia. She tried to call out a warning, but Phrike wrapped one hand around Arcadia's throat and pulled her backwards. She placed her other hand to Arcadia's temple. Phrike spoke, What do you fear, little goddess?"

Arcadia blinked rapidly, and her eyes started to turn back. Reyna stared at the scene, and anger filled her veins. There was no way she would let Phrike torture Arcadia like she had to Reyna. It was time for the goddess to pay. Reyna made it to her feet and slammed into Phrike and Arcadia.

The three tumbled to the ground, and Reyna used her dagger to stab Phrike's hand into the ground. She placed her sword to Phrike throat and spoke, "This is all your fault. You did this to me. You caused me to start hearing those voices."

"Oh dear," Phrike whispered. She smiled and laughed. "No. I helped you. I brought the voices to your attention. If I hadn't, those voices would have came to you after you were exiled. They would have been your only friend, and there would be no saving you. Dear, you would have just been another paranoid demigod, always on the run and unable to listen to anything but the voices in your head."

Reyna felt her hands shaking. All she wanted to do was send Phrike straight to Tartarus. It was what the goddess deserved. The goddess dragged demigods through a world of horror and made them relive their deepest, darkest fears. Reyna spoke, "Why come here now?"

"To take your army out and paralyze them with fear," Phrike whispered. A hand grabbed Reyna's shoulder, and she slowly looked at Arcadia. The goddess gave her a comforting nod. "And, I wanted to have more fun with you."

"Who is going to attack Mount Olympus?" Reyna demanded. Phrike hummed and didn't answer. Reyna closed her eyes and felt someone pull her to her feet. Reyna pulled away from Arcadia. "I'm going to find golden chains, and we are going to get answers."

"Do you want those answers?" Phrike questioned. Reyna shook her head. She knew that she needed to get out of there and calm herself down. This was the worse time for this to happen. Reyna couldn't focus her thoughts anymore, and it felt like she was close to jumping over her mental edge.

"Imperator, I will be fine. You need to get away from her," Arcadia said. Reyna nodded and buried her face in her hands. Then, she turned and practically fled from the Senate House. As she got further away, it became easier to breath. Reyna found herself at Temple Hill, and after a moment, she walked inside her mother's temple.

"I'm sorry," Reyna said. She slowly walked towards her mother's statues and collapsed to her knees in front of the statue. "I'm sorry that you died. I'm sorry I didn't stop the peacekeepers in time. I don't know what to do."

Reyna stared at the ground and then slowly looked up at her mother's statue. She felt emotionally spent. Reyna slowly stood and placed both hands to her face again. Reyna spoke, "I'm going to kill them. I am going to kill all of them and avenge you."

Reyna turned around and stared at the sword that was stabbed into the ground. Her eyes focused on the black blade covered in ice. Reyna slowly grabbed the sword and lifted it from the ground. She stared at the ten runes. If she used the sword to kill ten peacekeepers, she would lose her soul to Hel. Otherwise, Reyna wasn't sure how she was going to kill the peacekeepers.

After taking a deep breath, Reyna sat in front of her mother's statue. She stared at the sword and tried to calm down. Her mind was too scattered for her to be any help in battle. Reyna closed her eyes and rested her head against the sword's handle. An icy feeling shot through her body and started to relax her. At the moment, Reyna wasn't sure what she was going to do. She had already sacrificed her soul to save the world once before, and if it came down to it, she would sacrifice her soul again.


	58. World at War

Arcadia crossed her arms and stared at the goddess in front of her. Phrike stared back at her with a cold grin on her face. The only thing Arcadia wanted to do was continue to beat the goddess' face in, but her main focus was back on the imperator. They needed the imperator to lead them to battle. A few barbarian scouts had gone ahead, to see if the army was paralyzed by fear. Upon realizing that the army was fine, they quickly retreated. That was when Sarah reported a few siege engines and catapults on the horizon.

The siege engines were only ten feet tall, which meant this entire attack was planned beforehand. The barbarians may not have realized they were going to be conscripted into the peacekeeper army, but the peacekeepers knew about this for a long time. They knew that Camp Jupiter wouldn't have time to build tall fortifications.

How in Zeus' name did they manage to get these machines of war outside Camp Jupiter? It didn't matter how strong the daughter of Hades was. There was no way she could take an entire army and these machines all the way from Europe to America. This screamed of immortal interference.

Who was helping though? Who was working against the Olympians? From the imperator's stories, Eris and Eirene were no longer on good terms with the peacekeepers. Were they being tricked? Was something else going on?

"Hey," Hylla said. Arcadia snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards the queen of the Amazons. "Where is my sister at?"

"Your mother's temple," Arcadia answered. She glanced at Phrike. "I'm going to beat the answers out of this goddess. She is going to tell me everything that I want to know."

"Are you trying to keep from being a disappointment?" Phrike questioned. Arcadia turned back towards the goddess and glared. "You really want a place back on Olympus, but how are you going to earn it back? How long have you spent time on this earth just being a disappointment? They won't ever take you back."

"Do you think Julius Caesar ever cared for you?" Phrike continued. Arcadia walked towards the goddess and grabbed her by the neck. Phrike seemed unconcerned. "Do you think the Sixth Legion actually cares for you? They just want you around as a status symbol. Having a goddess as your little bitch shows you have power."

Arcadia threw the goddess to the ground and took deep breath. Somehow, Phrike's words were digging straight into her soul. Arcadia shook her head. She was a goddess. She shouldn't be scared of what others thought, especially if they were mortals.

A hand grabbed Arcadia's arm and pulled her back. Arcadia looked at Hylla but allowed herself to be led out of the room. Hylla spoke, "Did she touch you at all? I know her power still lingers, even after she is gone or subdued."

"She did," Arcadia said. It was getting easier to think clearly and calm down. Arcadia slowly looked back at the room, and a heavy feeling settled in her gut. If she was affected this badly just by being touched by the goddess, how badly was it affecting the imperator?

"I can handle the goddess," Hylla stated. Arcadia slowly looked at her. "The only time I've ever been in contact with her was when my fist slammed into her face, and she disappeared before anything else could happen. You need to get some fresh air and find my sister. I will get all of the answers that we need."

After a few moments, Arcadia nodded. She walked out of Senate House and towards the hill that held all of Camp Jupiter's temples. Arcadia made it up the hill and walked towards Bellona's temple. Upon stepping inside, she found the imperator sitting against her mother's statue.

Arcadia walked towards the imperator and sat by her. Reyna didn't glance at her. She was staring at a sword in her hands. The sword was black and seemed to have ice all over it. Ten symbols, runes, ran across the blade. It was not the kind of sword that should be in the hands of a Roman.

"She said she could heal my hand," Reyna muttered. She stared at the sword. "This sword is suppose to be able to kill the peacekeepers. If I use this sword, she said she would take my soul."

"Imperator, you need to calm down," Arcadia said. She gently grabbed the sword from Reyna's hands and pulled it away. Reyna gasped, like she had been shocked. She stared down at the sword and then at her hands. Arcadia could feel the divine power running through the sword, but it felt wrong.

"Gods, did I just imagine her?" Reyna questioned. She brought her knees to her chest and rested her head on her knees. "I can't deal with this again. Please tell me I'm not going crazy."

"Reyna, you are not going crazy," Arcadia promised. She set the sword down and grabbed Reyna's shoulder. "I am here with you, in your mother's temple. That sword is real, and a divine has given it to you. That divine is not Greek or Roman. Are you with me?"

"I am," Reyna whispered. She took shaky breaths and slowly looked at Arcadia. "She called herself Hel. She talked of Ragnarok and how I can help change the tides, if I get my soul to her."

"You don't need this sword to kill those peacekeepers," Arcadia whispered. "You already killed Burza, and we know they will have their strings on them. They may be powerful but they bleed and hurt like the rest of us. Disable them and take their strings. End their lives. That is how we are going to win this war, and we have the two other champions to help us."

Reyna laid her head back against the statue and stared ahead. She slowly counted backwards from ten and spoke, "My mother's temple. Camp Jupiter. They're fighting a war outside. There's a war going on. I can't slip. Not now."

"You won't," Arcadia promised. She slung the sword across her back and offered her hand to Reyna. After a moment, the imperator took her hand and was pulled to her feet. "I just need you to stay calm and keep yourself grounded. Your sister is looking for you."

Reyna nodded and allowed herself to be led out of the temple. She stayed by Arcadia's side and seemed to be trying to calm herself down and keep herself leveled. Reyna suddenly stopped walking and looked back at the temple. She spoke, "They killed my mother."

"To throw you off your game," Arcadia said. Reyna slowly looked at her. "They still have plans for you. Otherwise, they would have cut Hylla's string already. I know it is hard for you, but you must stay focused. They know you are still trying to process your mother's death. That is why they sent Phrike into the camp this soon. They are trying to throw you off of your game. A focused Reyna will destroy their plans."

"You're right," Reyna said. She took a deep breath and looked around. "What is the status of everything? What can I do to help?"

"Sarah reported that they have brought catapults and siege engines. They have maybe three siege engines and six catapults. If they hold to their current path, they will go straight through Camp Jupiter and right to New Rome. We'll spring your trap, and that will cut off the barbarians."

"Where is everyone at?" Reyna asked. She slowly rubbed her forearm and fixed her armor. "I know Annabeth and Clarisse are at the front of the army preparing them for war. Sally is still with Collins and Avaris, right?"

"They are. All of the medical supplies have been moved to the Senate House. Once Phrike is handled, we'll make that our infirmary," Arcadia explained. Reyna didn't seem to flinch at the goddess' name, which was progress. Arcadia understood that Reyna's mental state was fragile, almost like glass. The goddess had never been good with glass items though. Glass broke too easily and would shatter at the slightest mishandle.

"The other three demititan leaders are handling the ambush," Arcadia continued. She studied Reyna. The imperator looked tired and exhausted. Reyna didn't look mentally ready for the war that was ahead, but Arcadia needed to put faith in her imperator. They both heard a soft growl.

Arcadia turned and stared at Lupa. The wolf goddess walked out of the shadows and straight towards then. Her eyes focused on Arcadia and then the Senate House. Reyna spoke, "Lupa? What's going on?"

"Olympus is being attacked," Lupa growled. Arcadia stared and slowly looked around the camp. "It is a two front assault. Minor gods are attacking Mount Olympus, and barbarians are attacking the camps. Divide and conquer."

"I can't leave, Lupa. I have to stay here and help," Reyna said. Lupa looked at the imperator and nodded. Her eyes then moved to Arcadia.

"They will try to divide and conquer, but it will not work. Kronos' twisted blade lies in the hands of that ancient evil that calls herself Neith. If you can take the blade from her, the peacekeepers cannot fulfill what they think their destiny is," Lupa said. Reyna nodded, and the wolf goddess looked back at Arcadia. "Your family needs you."

"My family is here," Arcadia stated. She stood a little straighter. "I do not owe the Olympians anything."

"Jupiter and Juno need you," Lupa growled. She looked Arcadia in the eyes. "The Olympians are outnumbered. Many minor gods are attacking them, and they need all the help they can get. Reyna's job is to save Camp Jupiter. Your job is to save Olympus."

"Lupa is right," Reyna said. Arcadia slowly looked at the imperator. "I would love to have you fight at my side, but they do need you. If Olympus falls, this was all for nothing. I'm not going to order you to do this. It's something you have to decide for yourself."

Arcadia stared at her imperator. Then, she looked up at the sky. There was a war going on up there, and her parents were involved. They weren't her family though. Her family was those that were going to stay at Camp Jupiter and defend it. Arcadia wanted to be with the Sixth Legion, but the imperator was right. If Olympus fell, nothing they did against the army would matter.

"Be safe," Arcadia said. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder and squeezed tightly. "Promise me that you will be safe and keep yourself grounded."

"I will," Reyna promised. Arcadia suddenly pulled Reyna into a tight hug. It was purely instinctive of her. Arcadia would never have touched Caesar, let alone hug him. Reyna was different though. After a moment of being tensed or maybe surprised, Reyna hugged back. "This isn't goodbye, Arcadia."

"I know," Arcadia said. She pulled away and looked at Reyna. Her imperator gave her a nod. "I just want you to keep yourself, and I'll do the same. I'm going to save Olympus, and you save the rest of the world."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Reyna commented. A small smile came to her face. Arcadia smiled as well and grabbed her faceplate. She slipped it onto her helmet and turned back towards Lupa. The wolf goddess walked towards Arcadia and brushed into her. Arcadia blinked and found herself at Mount Olympus. A trident flew by her face a moment later.

Arcadia ducked underneath another thrown weapon and looked around for Lupa. The wolf goddess had slammed into a minor goddess, maybe Kakia, and torn part of her throat out. Arcadia didn't want to be left out of the party, so she thought of her sword. It appeared in her hand, and she looked around for someone to fight.

At the moment, they stood on the road towards the throne room. It seemed like the throne room had been blocked off by a wave of energy, possibly Hecate's doing. The trident flew by Arcadia's face again, and she followed it with her eyes. Poseidon caught his trident and deflected a wave of water that was shot towards him.

Arcadia ran towards the Olympian. Someone yelled a war cry and try to cut her off. She sidestepped their attack and stabbed them in the chest. Then, she lifted them on the sword and threw them into another goddess. She slammed into another god and heard a painful crack as their neck hit the ground. Arcadia stabbed them in the throat.

Without the use of special weapons or Olympic power, she couldn't outright kill a minor god or goddess or even just send them to Tartarus. All she could do was disable them and take them out of the fight until they regenerated themselves. Arcadia stood and threw her shield at an arrow meant for Poseidon.

"Lord Poseidon," Arcadia greeted. She made it to the Olympians side. She looked around and realized that the entire Greek and Roman pantheon had decided to gather on Olympus and go to war. This was the peacekeeper's ultimate goal. Immortals and demigods would be too busy with their own wars to help each other. "Where do you need me?"

"Take out anyone you can," Poseidon ordered. Arcadia nodded and looked around again. She wasn't even sure who their allies were, but if Poseidon wanted her to fight, she could do that. "We are defending the throne room. The loss of our thrones will be impossible to come back from."

"It's tied to your powers or something like that, right?" Arcadia questioned. She sensed a sword coming at her back and caught the blade on hers. She kicked her attacker backwards. "What about the thrones in your palace?"

"No one is attacking any of our palaces. They are all focused on Olympus," Poseidon replied. His eyes narrowed and focused past her. Arcadia turned and focused on the two immortals across from her. One held the trident that had flew by her when she arrived. Another woman was by him, and they were locked in battle with Athena. "Oceanus and Tethys attacked us once before, when they were working with Ouranos. We thought we could forgive them."

"It's not like the Olympians have ever treated them fairly," Arcadia muttered. Poseidon gave her a look and then looked back at the throne room. "I'm just here to make sure Olympus doesn't fall. Point me in the right direction."

"We do not know who the leaders are. Until we do, we fight everyone. Zeus and Hera are going to be a last line of defense in case the worst comes to pass. Eirene, Hecate, and Eris defend the doors," Poseidon said. Arcadia looked back towards the throne room and nodded. She pushed past some of the battles and started to make her way to the throne room.

Arcadia remembered the imperator telling them about Eirene and Eris apparently going to Mount Olympus. They sold out the peacekeepers to save themselves and gain back the trust of Zeus. Arcadia wouldn't trust Eris normally, and after what the two had done to her, she did not trust Eirene. Arcadia took a deep breath and made it to the barrier by the door.

A minor god slammed into the barrier and collapsed to the ground. Ares picked the god up and flung him into three of his friends. Aphrodite looked at Ares and spoke, "Keep them from the barrier."

"I got this," Ares snapped back. Arcadia glanced at them and placed a hand to the barrier. Her hand passed through without problem. It seemed like those with pure, Olympian blood could pass through. She took a shaky breath and stepped through the barrier.

Arcadia knew that the fight outside needed her, but the one inside needed her more. It didn't matter if the peacekeepers and Eirene were at odds. The two had similar goals. At the moment, a goddess that wanted to kill all demigods was right by Zeus' side, and at any moment, she could stab him in the back.

If Eirene wanted to kill the demigods so badly, she could easily complete her goal on Mount Olympus. All she needed to do was disable the Olympians or destroy their thrones or even just keep them too busy to help their children. Arcadia wasn't quite sure what was going to happen. The only thing she knew was that she was going to save her parents.


	59. Law of War

Zara never liked to be in the spotlight. She wanted to stay in the background and be unnoticed. Her story didn't have to be recorded in legend. It didn't matter if anyone knew her name once the Greek world finally passed. She didn't need to be the next Perseus or Heracles. All Zara needed was for her friends to be safe.

Fighting a war against the other demigods was not safe. Taking over a barbarian army was not safe. Punishing two barbarian leaders in front of the entire army was not safe. Yet, here they were. Zara slowly looked around the field. The mass of the barbarian army was watching them quietly.

"Why did we retreat?" Neith questioned. She casually swung Kronos' sword in her hand, and her eyes slowly moved across the barbarian army. Two barbarian leaders were on their knees in front of her. "We ordered you to attack Camp Jupiter. Do you not want revenge for the absolute decimation and destruction of your leader? Do you not want to survive past today?"

"We could just kill you right now," a barbarian leader snapped. He looked up, but it would be the last thing that he did as Neith decapitated him with a lazy flicker of her wrist. Neith stared down at the body and kicked it to the side.

"Understand that I have commanded my fair share of armies. I have commanded an empire before," Neith said. She looked at her fellow peacekeepers and then back at the army. "We had the element of surprise. They did not have time to fortify their defenses. Now, our battle has just become much tougher."

"Your plan failed," the other barbarian said. Even though he still seemed to be in shock by the death of his fellow leader, he looked up at Neith. "They were suppose to be paralyzed by that goddess. Instead, they were all ready to fight."

"Because that was the front of the line," Neith said. She knelt by the barbarian and placed the sword to his throat. "If you had followed my plan, we would be ransacking the city. Instead, I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill your wife. Dominic will handle your daughter. Personally, I don't approve of the things that he will do to her, but it is your fault."

The barbarian tried to protest, but the blade was shoved into his throat. Zara looked away and heard the barbarian choking on his own blood. She heard a cry and saw that Dominic was dragging a girl out of the line of barbarians. Another woman tried to jump to her feet, only for Vasicio to grab her and drag her over to Neith. The rest of the barbarians just stared, paralyzed in fear or horror.

Zara turned away. She couldn't do this. They were turning into the very monsters that they swore to never be. Zara spoke, "We have to stop them, Beleza. This is wrong."

"This is how Neith works through her grief," Beleza answered. She stood next to Zara and had a hand on her shoulder. Zara watched Dominic lift the girl off of her feet and carry her towards a tent. She pulled away from Beleza and stalked towards him.

Zara took a shaky breath and stepped into the tent. She watched Dominic throw the girl to the ground. Zara grabbed him and spoke, "What the hell do you think you are doing? This isn't part of our plan! We don't do these kinds of things!"

"This is punishment," Dominic answered. He studied Zara. There was a power hungry look in his eyes. Zara shook her head and looked back at the girl. "They failed us, so I make an example of the kid. Neith makes an example of the parents, and they don't fail us again."

"We could be using this time to attack Camp Jupiter. This is a waste," Zara snapped. She stood in between the girl and Dominic. "This is the act of monsters, and I am not going to allow it to happen. Leave her alone!"

Dominic stared Zara down. He finally shoved her to the side and grabbed the girl by the throat. She couldn't be older than fifteen and didn't deserve anything that was going to happen to her. Dominic finally shoved the girl towards the entrance of the tent, and she ran away. Dominic spoke, "You are too weak to do what must be done."

"You were kicked out of Camp Jupiter for doing that to someone there, weren't you?" Zara asked. She took a step backwards. Dominic shook his head. "I can't believe I trusted you. What the hell?"

"Look, it was a snotty little centurion who wouldn't shut her mouth. She had to learn respect one way or another," Dominic said. Zara shook her head and quickly backed away. She turned to leave the tent, only for Dominic to grab her by the back of shirt. "Are you strong enough to handle what we have to do?"

"This is not what we have to do," Zara snapped. She tensed as Dominic grabbed her neck. The tent flap opened, and Beleza stepped into the tent. Dominic glanced up and then quickly moved away from Zara. He hurried out of the tent, under the very piercing glare of Beleza. Zara looked up at her friend. "I can't do this anymore."

"All you need to do is stay focused," Beleza whispered. She gripped Zara' shoulder and pulled her close. Beleza led Zara out of the tent and away from the army. "They want to punish the barbarians and make them fear us. I agree that this isn't the way to do it, but Neith believes that we must act like they do, as they will be familiar with it."

"This is bullshit," Zara said. She pulled away from Beleza, as they reached their main tent. "I am fine with killing someone to take control of an army. I can barely handle attacking the camps to keep them distracted and allow us to get to Mount Olympus. This is going too far. We're going to alienate everyone."

"Going far is going to win this war. Just sit down and relax," Beleza ordered. Zara glared up at her friend and then slowly sat on the table. Zara couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing. For so long, she believed in their cause. They were going to destroy the Olympians to make the world a better place. Along the way, they became the monsters they wanted to destroy, or were they always just those monsters?

Beleza killed people for a living. Dominic had apparently assaulted a female centurion during his time at Camp Jupiter, and gods knew what else he had done. Neith was not human. She was someone or something that seemed to radiate death whenever she was near.

What was Zara suppose to do though? She couldn't turn her back on her friends. They were the only family that Zara had left. She looked down at the ground and tried to think. The barbarians were already following them, out of fear of their powers. They could have just executed the two leaders that failed and not bring anyone else into it.

Zara missed Buza even more in that moment. For all of her faults, Burza knew how to get the rest of the peacekeepers under control. Dominic had always been a loose cannon, but he was tame around Burza. Neith stayed in the background. Now, Neith was actively encouraging Dominic to do things that would only backfire in their face.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Theo asked. He walked towards Zara and sat by her. Zara shook her head. "Hey, I know it's hard. We have to do this though. They can handle the violent stuff. We just have to be ready to take the thrones on Olympus."

"We are already doing terrible things to barbarians that we hardly know. They haven't done anything wrong to us. When we take the place of the Olympians, what are we going to do to those who actively fought against us? I thought we were going to be peaceful," Zara said.

"We're trying to be," Theo said. He gently brushed his knee against hers. "Sometimes, you have to allow other to do was is necessary, even if it goes against what you believe in. Neith and Dominic do the things that they do, so you and I don't have to get our hands dirty."

Zara didn't respond. Instead, she buried her face in her hands. Theo spoke, "Nothing they do will matter when we become the new Olympians. We are still going to be a council and will vote on major decisions. We will block everything cruel and violent that Dominic will want to do. We still need two more demigods to help us though. It's just a matter of making sure their beliefs line up with ours."

"You're right," Zara said. She looked up and stared ahead. Nothing that Theo said would excuse what her friends were doing. Somehow, she would have to block it out and focus on what she could do. The tent flap opened, and Zara sat up a little straighter.

A woman was shoved into the tent, and Neith followed behind her a moment later. The woman glanced at all of them and held her hands up in front of her. Zara vaguely recognized the demititan in front of her. Was her name Sarah?

"I thought that don't shoot the messenger was a thing?" Sarah said. She turned towards Neith and stared at the sword that was only a centimeter from her face. "Look, I just came to talk."

"We already gave you and your friends a generous offer," Neith said. Sarah's eyes just stay focused on Kronos' sword. "You decided to work with Camp Jupiter anyway. Give me one reason that I shouldn't just kill you right now."

"They have an ambush set for you," Sarah said. She looked between the peacekeepers and tensed as the tent flap opened once again. Beleza stepped back into the tent, along with Camila. "Look, I know that the demititans are at Camp Jupiter, but that was just to get information. If I'm gonna approach you, I better have information that is useful to you."

"I know that one of your friends died," Sarah said. Her eyes moved around the tent. "You guys need one more person to help you complete the magical number of twelve. I want in."

"You're a demititan. You can't do it in the first place," Theo said. Zara exchanged a look with him. They really needed two people, but it was good that the demititan didn't know that. It also meant Reyna was being selective about the information that she shared, which would only help the peacekeepers. "You have to be of Olympic blood to take a throne."

"You're not all children of Olympians," Sarah said. Her eyes moved to Zara. Theo crossed his arms, and a frown came to Zara's face. Sarah knew much more than she was letting on. Why would she want to join them though? "All you need is little bit of Golden Ichor inside of you, and I have that, even though Titan blood runs through my veins."

"How do you know that, demititan?" Neith demanded. Sarah glanced at Neith and remained silent. A scowl came to Neith's face. "I don't have the patience for this. You are wasting my time."

"We helped the demigods investigate you guys, when you all tried your first assassination attempt," Sarah said, and she crossed her arms. The fingers on her right hand were nervously tapping on her left arm. "Some of you left information behind in your old bases."

"The point is that I want to join you. My family has been dying left and right for the past few months, trying to defend those gods forsaken demigods. I'm tired of us having to die," Sarah continued. "I just want my family to be safe, and I want my girlfriend back. She died saving a demigod, and I will do anything I can to bring her back."

"She does know everything about Camp Jupiter's defenses," Theo commented. He looked at Neith, and after a few moments, Neith lowered the sword. "What's one soul out of the Underworld? We've been talking of trying to pull Burza out anyway. This could be a test run."

"Sarah can help us end this peacefully," Zara agreed. Neith seemed to be thinking about whether they could trust the demititan. Sarah uncrossed her arms and looked around the tent again. Zara quickly realized the demititan was scared. She didn't have any weapons and was in a tent full of people that could kill her in an instant.

"We do need that information," Beleza said. Camila nodded her agreement. Neith stared down at the demititan and didn't show any emotion. "Even if we don't want a demititan to join us on Olympus, I'm sure that Sarah would be more than willing to broker a deal for the information."

"We can make some kind of deal," Neith said. Without warning, she stabbed Sarah in the stomach. Sarah gasped in shock and surprise and slowly looked down at Kronos' sword. "Here's my deal. You give us that information right now, or I tear this sword through your spine and leave you to bleed out."

"What are you doing?" Zara demanded. She grabbed onto Neith and practically pried Neith's fingers off of the sword. Zara shoved Neith backwards, and out of the corner of her eye, she watched Sarah collapse to her knees. "She was trying to help us!"

"She was trying to bribe us," Neith snapped. She shoved Zara backwards. Sarah tried to stand and gasped in pain. She collapsed back to her knees. "We don't need your information, demititan. We are going to burn Camp Jupiter to the ground and then murder all of your friends."

"I'm not trying to bribe you," Sarah wheezed. She looked up, and a small smirk came to her face. "Just wanted numbers on your army. Kronos' sword is just a bonus though."

Neith's eyes widened, and she lunged forward. It was no use as air seemed to wrap around Sarah, and the demititan was gone in an instant. Neith fell to her knees and stared at the spot where the demititan had been. She seemed to be running through the events in her head.

"Camila, find her. Get the sword back. I don't care if you have to go into Camp Jupiter to do it," Neith said. Camila stared at Neith, but after a few moments, she nodded. The shadows wrapped around Camila, and she disappeared.

Neith stood and suddenly grabbed Zara by her neck. She slammed Zara into the table and spoke, "This is your fault. If you had just stood there, I wouldn't have let go of the sword. We have lost our most powerful tool because of you."

"Get off of her," Theo snapped. He grabbed Neith and practically threw her backwards. Neith fell backwards and quickly stood. "If you weren't so set on trying to murder the demititan, we would have the information and the sword!"

"Enough!" Beleza yelled. There was no charmspeak in her voice, but everyone turned to look at her. "We are fighting when we should be united. We had a small hiccup with the barbarians not following our plan. If Phrike did her job, the leaders will be out of commission. That doesn't mean another demigod won't step up. We have to stay united."

"There is no need to hurt the people who don't deserve it," Zara stated. Neith looked at her for a long moment. Then, she nodded and muttered an apology. "We can still fix this."

"How?" Neith muttered. She crossed her arms and started to pace. Neith was clearly upset, but she wasn't trying to strangle Zara anymore. "We lost Kronos' blade. That was our best shot at taking out the Olympians."

"Destroy their thrones," Theo said. He crossed his arms as well and stood protectively by Zara. "Disable the Olympians. Then, we storm the camp and take the sword back. There are so many options that we still have, and we still have Hylla's string. We still hold leverage."

"No. We don't," Neith said. She looked at them. "With the sword and the string, Reyna was not going to go against us. With just the string and no way to cut it, she is going to be empowered and much more bold."

"If Phike did her job, we will be find," Beleza interrupted. "I do not like the word if. I do not like how that seems to be dictating our plans lately. I'm done with that. Here's my new plan. We wait a hour for Camia to get back. If she's not back here, we send her a message. Whether she has the sword or not, we attack Camp Jupiter and destroy it. We'll get Kronos' sword back one way or another and then waltz up to Olympus and finish the job."

"As long as Eris holds up her end," Netith muttered. Beleza nodded her agreement. Zara glanced at Theo in shock and then looked up at Neith. "We made a deal with the goddess, after Burza died. She's going to help us destroy the Olympians."

Zara looked down at the ground. They agreed that Eris was too violent. Why were they working with her again? Even if Reyna did betray them, there was no need for them to work with Eris. The goddess was actually insane. Zara closed her eyes tightly and felt a cold feeling settle in her gut. She could feel everything spinning out of control, and sooner or later, she was worried that she would lose herself in this war.


	60. Peace Shall Fall

As the doors to the throne room shook, Eirene felt herself flinching. She didn't like the feeling from just beyond the door. There was so much fighting and ichor and screaming and all these horrible things that were associated with war. Eirene closed her eyes tightly and tried to breath. There was a magical barrier and a door protecting her from the outside. The war couldn't come inside.

Eirene slowly opened her eyes and looked around the throne room. Hecate stood near the door and was periodically running her hand across the door, speaking in Ancient Greek. A cloak covered Hecate's face, but she wasn't even looking back at them anyway. Eris paced around the throne room, and Zeus was watching her closely. Hera stood next to her husband and didn't say a word.

Eris was the one who convinced her to go to Olympus. They told the Olympians everything that they could about the peacekeepers. The two of them sold out the demigods that worked for them for so long, just to save their skin. Truthfully, Eirene felt a pit of guilt.

At first, she wanted to help the demigods take out the Olympians in a quick strike. Then, Eris convinced her that taking out the Olympians would only throw the world into chaos. It would just caused the minor gods and goddesses to fight each other for scraps of power. The two camps would end up fighting each other, and mortals would sooner or later follow that path. Eris convinced her that destroying the demigods would be better, as they were a very important tool of the Olympians.

This wasn't how it was suppose to happen though. Eirene should have never given her peacekeepers their strings. She lost control of them, and they were going to destroy all of their plans. Eirene would need to start from scratch. Maybe, there was another way. She could try to convince the Olympians to regulate their kids more and even stop having them. Her thoughts were so conflicted now, but she didn't know why.

Eris met Eirene's eyes and nodded. Eirene nodded back. Eris was the one constant in Eirene's life. The goddess, even though she had tons of bad ideas, was helping the goddess of peace keep calm and stable. Before Eris came into the picture, Eirene was stuck on an idiotic plan and struggling to pull herself together.

A door slammed open, and Eirene was torn from her thoughts. She looked at the door and saw an armored figure standing there. They wore Roman armor and had a face plate on. Thankfully, they were too tall to be Reyna, so it had to be the reaper's second in command. A small limp confirmed that the armored figure in front of them was indeed Arcadia.

"How did you get through the barrier?" Hecate demanded. She stared at the door and then the barrier. It seemed like it was intact, so Arcadia hadn't torn it open. It was still holding from the onslaught of minor gods and goddesses as well. How did the peacekeepers manage to pull that many immortals together?

"Olympic blood," Hera answered. Arcadia slowly closed the door behind her and stared at Zeus. Her expression was hidden by the face plate, but Eirene could see how overwhelmed the goddess was. Her eyes gave away the whole story. "Arcadia may be a disappointment, but she still holds our blood."

"Lupa said you needed help," Arcadia began. Her voice was small and quiet. It didn't even echo throughout the room. Eirene sighed. The young goddess had no clue how to conduct herself. Living a life among mortals and demigods meant she was not sure how to act among the Olympians. "I came upon her word."

There was also the matter of Lupa, who needed to mind her own business. The wolf goddess needed to keep her snout out of their business. Being a loner meant that she didn't know what was going on. Eirene highly doubted that Lupa even cared. The wolf goddess only cared for Camp Jupiter and maybe held a little part in her heart for the demigods that she trained.

"You probably shouldn't be walking on that leg," Eris commented. Arcadia looked up and glared. The goddess stood a little straighter, but she clearly struggled to put pressure on her leg. A small smile came to Eris' face. Eirene gave Eris a look. They didn't need to anger anyone else. "Oh, I am just curious about my young friend here. She's clearly not in the best shape, and those peacekeepers did make us do some cruel things to the poor, little goddess."

"You did that all on your own," Arcadia snapped. She took a step forward, but Zeus suddenly cleared his throat. Arcadia froze in place and slowly looked at her father. Eris even stopped what she was doing, but it didn't take long for her to pace once again.

"We certainly did not ask for you help, as if we even need it," Hera commented. Arcadia looked down and glared at the ground. "The wolf goddess should mind her own business instead of wasting our time."

"You have the entire pantheon knocking on your door. It's a war out there," Arcadia snapped. She looked up and into the eyes of her parents. "You two should be out there fighting. Instead, you are hiding by your thrones with two traitors."

"The only traitor here is you," Hera said. She smiled and studied Arcadia's face. "You denied our very generous offer to join us back on Olympus. Instead, you work with an enemy."

"Reyna is my imperator," Arcadia snapped. Before she could say anything else, Hera held up a hand. Arcadia seemed to flinch, but she also fell silent.

"Your imperator? When has a goddess ever bowed to a demigod?" Hera questioned. Eris studied them and walked up behind Hera. She seemed to be feeding off of the argument. Arcadia glared at her mother and then finally looked away. "Your so called imperator willing work with Kronos. That is why she will remain an enemy to us until Atropos ends her pathetic life."

"I hate to interrupt the family bonding moment, but we have a schedule to keep," Eris said. She suddenly wrapped two hands around Juno's neck, and a loud click sounded throughout the throne room. Eris lowered her hands and stepped away. A golden collar was wrapped around Hera's neck.

Eris snapped her fingers, and Hera yelled in pain. The queen of the Olympians fell to her knees and grabbed at the collar wrapped around her neck. Zeus stepped forward, but Hera yelled even louder. Eris looked around the room and smiled.

"I wouldn't move anymore, Hera. This is something very nasty to little goddesses like you," Eris said. She glanced at Zeus, who was gripping his lightning bolt. "I wouldn't do that either. You won't like the result."

"What are you doing?" Eirene demanded. She stepped forward but flinched as Hera yelled in pain once again and collapsed to the ground. Eirene's eyes moved around the room. Hecate held one hand behind her back and was seemingly waiting for the right moment. Arcadia gripped her sword and took a small step back, as if getting ready to throw her weapon.

"Did you really think that I wanted peace?" Eris questioned. She looked at Eirene. "I love chaos and war. I thrive upon it. When your peacekeepers destroy the Olympians, this world will be thrown into chaos. Join me, Eirene. Allow me to show you why peace is overrated."

Zeus suddenly threw lightning at Eris. It should have hit the goddess straight in the chest. Instead, it stopped a few inches from her. Eirene tried to step backwards, but she found herself unable to move. She looked around with her eyes and saw that everyone was in the same position.

Zeus was frozen in place like a statue, with his lightning bolt still raised. Arcadia was in the middle of spinning her weapon into a javelin. Magic hummed in Hecate's lowered hand, but she wouldn't be raising it anytime soon. Hera was frozen on the floor in pain. Eris looked at all of them and smiled.

"This is amazing," Eris said. She stepped away from the lightning and held up a pocket watch. It dangled in between her fingers, and power radiated off of it. "They told me that they found this in the deepest, darkest pits of Tartarus. It allows the holder to use the powers that Kronos himself can use with the snap of a finger. It's not as strong, of course. That won't matter though. I found a much stronger weapon."

Eris' eyes moved to the lightning bolt that was firmly held by Zeus. She walked towards him and mockingly bowed. Out of the corner of her eye, Eirene could see that her fellow immortals were struggling against time. Arcadia was able to move her fingers but nothing else. Hecate was moving a few fingers, but her eyes kept moving back to the door and the barrier outside that she was still trying to keep intact.

Eris grabbed Zeus' lightning bolt and examined it. Her eyes seemed to shine brightly, and she slowly looked around the room. Eris walked towards Arcadia and spoke, "You and Reyna have just been gnats that don't know how to mind their own business. If you two just stayed in Rome, everything would have gone off without a hitch. Do you know what I do to gnats?"

The lightning bolt was placed to Arcadia's chest. Eris smiled at her and winked. She brought the lightning bolt back and slammed it into Arcadia's chest. Time resumed, and the lightning slammed into Arcadia, throwing herself backwards.

Arcadia slammed into the wall of the throne room and collapsed to the ground. Hecate shot magic at Eris, who dodged to the side and threw lightning at Hecate. The goddess of magic threw herself to the side and suddenly placed both hands to the door.

"Keep the barrier up," Zeus ordered. He held his hand out, and a sword appeared in it. Zeus slowly approached Eris. After watching for a moment, Hecate turned her back and focused on the barrier. Eirene turned and ran towards Hera. She knelt by the goddess.

The golden collar seemed to be made of the same materials that were once used to trap Aphrodite and Ares. It was a material that was very evil, and there would be no forgiving Eris for this. The goddess of strife wouldn't want forgiveness though. She would want war.

Eirene placed her hands to the collar and felt pain tear through her body. She recoiled and stared down at the collar. There was no clasp on the collar, so it had to be locked on the inside. Eirene grabbed the collar again and tried to tear the collar off. Another jolt of pain shot through her, and Hera yelled in pain.

"Help Zeus," Hera ordered. She wheezed in pain and spat out Golden Ichor. Eirene nodded and stood. How was she suppose to help Zeus? Eirene wasn't a fighter. The goddess of peace took a deep breath and moved her eyes towards a fallen sword. She walked towards the sword and slowly grabbed it.

The sword felt wrong in her hands. She wasn't suppose to be holding this item of destruction. A weight suddenly slammed into her, and she was thrown to the ground. Eirene quickly removed herself from the immortal that had slammed into her and then realized it was Eris. She tried to pin her fellow goddess.

Eris threw Eirene backwards and sent her flying. Eirene slammed into Zeus, and they tumbled to the ground. Eris walked towards them and held up the pocket watch. Eirene found herself unable to move once again, but it didn't seem like the whole room was effected anymore.

Hera was struggling with the collar, and the only thing that seemed to be stopping her was pain. Arcadia was coughing out Golden Ichor and had both hands to her chest. Eris looked around and spoke, "I'm just that good, aren't I?"

A ball of energy suddenly slammed into Eris, throwing her to the ground and tearing the lightning bolt from her grasp. Hecate had one hand to the door, but upon seeing no one moving, she dove for the lightning bolt. Eris tackled her in mid air and slammed her to the floor. She punched Hecate repeatedly.

"The barrier," Eirene wheezed. She was slowly able to move her fingers. The magic of the stopwatch was going to run out sooner or later, especially being used so much against immortals. "It's going to fall."

Eirene winced as Eris raised her fist once again and brought it down on Hecate's face. She saw a blur of movement, and Arcadia slammed into Eris. The two struggled for a brief moment, with Eris easily winning against her weakened opponent. Eris threw Arcadia into the wall once again and walked towards the lightning bolt. She grabbed it and laughed.

The lightning bolt glowed white hot, and Eris threw the lightning at Arcadia. It slammed into the young goddess and threw her through the wall of the throne room. Eris smirked and walked towards the barrier that surrounded the throne room. She slammed the lightning bolt into it, and it started to tear away.

"Get your wife," Eirene ordered. She found herself able to freely move, and she stumbled to her feet. Eirene didn't know what she was going to do against the crazed goddess, but this was her fault. If it wasn't for Eirene, they wouldn't be in this mess. She was the one who talked of overthrowing the gods, to make peace. Now, she was going to be the reason the world was destroyed.

Eirene tackled Eris through the barrier, and they both fell into the battlefield around them. Eris quickly pulled herself away and ran into the barrier. She bounced off of the barrier and hit it in anger. Eirene spoke, "Why are you doing this?"

"I already told you," Eris snapped. She turned towards Eirene and grabbed the lightning bolt from where it had fallen. "This world is never going to be at peace, Eirene! You have to understand this. We must take the power where we can, and for the first time in an eternity, we are able to take the thrones. We get to change our narrative and not have to live under the thumbs of the Olympians. You haven't brought peace to the world, Eirene, but you have brought the hope of peace to those who have suffered for so long."

"That isn't peace," Eirene argued. She shook her head. "The peacekeepers are not going to keep the peace. They have put this world into a war that I do not think it can come back from."

"Exactly," Eris agreed. "If there are no demigods left, there cannot be war. There can be peace only when there is no one left to ruin it. Do you understand? We had twelve special, once in a lifetime heroes who were going to help us. You ruined things, and I had to repair relations. You heard the prophecy; the cycle of the twelve shall persist."

"That cycle is the twelve being overthrown. It started with Ouranos and his friends and then Kronos and the Titans. Today, we complete that cycle one more time," Eris continued. She gripped the lightning bolt and studied Eirene. "Are you with me or against me?"

Eirene remained silent and tried to think. She knew that prophecies weren't always straight forward, and truthfully, she didn't care too much for prophecy. She didn't care too much for words that were sent to young woman who were being used and manipulate by Apollo and other prophetic immortals. Prophecies made demigods rely on faith that things would work out in their favor, and Eirene didn't believe too much in faith.

Faith didn't keep the peace. One couldn't just have faith that someone would keep their word. One couldn't have faith that peace would be kept. That was part of the reason that Eirene made the peacekeepers in the first place. Those who broke the peace needed to be limited, and the peace had to be restored. Where did it all go wrong?

"I'll take the silence as confirmation that you do want to work with me," Eris said. She flipped the lightning bolt in her hands. Eris walked towards Arcadia, who was barely moving. "I really thought that the second blast of lightning would have been the end of you. I'm sure getting thrown off of Mount Olympus will do the trick though."

Eris grabbed Arcadia by her armor straps and dragged her towards the edge of Olympus. Eris shoved Arcadia to the ground and slammed the lightning bolt into her head. Arcadia groaned in pain and collapsed to the ground.

"Stop," Eirene said. She slowly walked towards Eris. "There is no need to punish Arcadia anymore than you already have. She isn't going to be moving for days. Just leave her here."

"If I left her go, I will be showing mercy. I can't do that, can I?" Eris questioned. It was in that moment that Eirene realized she was working with a psychopath. She called Eris that before, but now, she was realizing that there was truly nothing redeeming about Eris. It was a mistake to work with her.

"Do you know how Tartarus feels?" Eris wondered. She placed the white hot point of the lightning bolt to Arcadia's head. Arcadia slowly got to her knees and stared up at the lightning bolt. Despite the pain she was clearly in, Arcadia did not look away. Eris glanced down below and whistled. "An Olympian would survive that fall but be gravely injured. A minor goddess like you is going to be destroyed the second that you hit the ground, especially in your weakened state. I don't think even I would be able to survive that fall."

Eris spun Kronos' stopwatch in her hands and finally tossed it behind her. She then brought the lightning bolt backwards and raised it. Eirene stepped in between the two goddesses.

"Please stop this now," Eirene begged. "I can't hurt you, and I don't want the Olympians to hurt you either. Just stop this now. I will make sure the Olympians treat you fairly."

"You keep talking about peace, as if there ever can be peace!. This world is about chaos," Eris said. She didn't lower the lightning bolt. "The Olympians do not want peace. How else would they have power? They keep the demigods down by having them fight monsters. They keep the minor gods busy by dividing them and making them fight for scraps of power. The Olympians cannot go a single day without fighting among themselves."

"If there was peace, the minor gods would have realized long ago how poorly they have been treated," Eris continued. "We are just now realizing it. This world is never going to know peace, but it will know true chaos. It will know that only the strongest survive. Join me, Eirene. I can make you strong."

Eirene glanced back at Arcadia. The goddess was using a hand to keep herself on her knees, and Ichor poured from her mouth and nose. There was nothing Arcadia could do to protect herself, and Eris was enjoying every moment of it. Eris was a monster, and Eirene was the one who created her.

Eirene stepped to the side. A smile came to Eris' face. The goddess of strife placed the lightning bolt under Arcadia's chin. She forced Arcadia to meet her eyes. Eris spoke, "If you wouldn't have been so prideful, you wouldn't be in this situation, and you know what they say about pride."

Eirene took a deep breath and suddenly slammed into Eris. They both fell to the ground, near the edge of Olympus. The lightning bolt skidded away, inches from the edge. Eris got to her feet, and Eirene took a deep breath. They started this whole mess together, and they were going to end it together. Eirene took another deep breath and tackled Eris off of Mount Olympus.


	61. Huis Clos

Considering the demigods and demititans needed to work together, they really weren't doing a good job of communicating with each other. Granted, it had always been that way. Demititans were largely ignored by the gods and forced to survive on their own, usually without the help of their parents. Demigods and demititans were not meant to mix, and that was very clear to Camila.

Camila pressed her back against the large building that she was hiding by. Shadow traveling into Camp Jupiter wasn't difficult. The god that kept their barriers secure was busy trying to fight off a few barbarians at the borders, away from the main army. The barrier god would be kept busy, and their army would strike.

Camila studied the four people in front of her. They stood in front of a table that was covered in maps, maybe war plans. Camila could take those, after everyone cleared away. The main thing she needed was Kronos' sword. They should have just heard the demititan out. Even if the demititan gave them false information, they would still have the sword..

And, what was this whole thing with Neith working with Eris? That sounded like a group decision, but an individual made it. One person did not know what was best for the group. They always made decisions together, until Burza was murdered. Had Burza really been the glue that held them together?

"There are other ways to buy time," Reyna said. She was staring at the table, but she finally looked up at her older sister. Hylla shook her head and looked to the side. She seemed to make eye contact with Annabeth. The fourth person at the table, a demititan named Ryke, watched everyone with an annoyed look.

Camila allowed the shadows to wrap around her, and she moved along the wall. She focused on the four people around the table. They wouldn't be able to see her. Shadows would keep her safe, like they always did. It didn't matter if it was from an invading army or four leaders who would want her head; the shadows would protect her.

It had been no more than ten minutes since the demititan escaped with Kronos' sword. That meant Phrike should have already been in the camp, but Reyna was fine. The others were fine. Where was Phrike?

"I know how they work, Hylla. They aren't just going to allow Sarah to walk into their camp and leave unharmed. It doesn't matter if Sarah gets all kinds of information about their army if she dies," Reyna continued. One could only hope that the demititan didn't have enough strength to make it back to Camp Jupiter. They could not lose that sword.

"I agree," Ryke said. She muttered something in another language and stared at the ground. Hylla sighed and rubbed her forehead. Annabeth took a step forward.

"Sarah agreed to our plan. We didn't force her to do anything that she was uncomfortable with," Annabeth said. She looked around. "Look, we really don't have a lot of time. We need any information we can get."

"Olympus is being attacked. How's that for information?" Reyna snapped. It only took her a second to look down and take a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I need to keep my calm. Lupa told us Olympus was being attacked, and she wanted Arcadia to help."

Arcadia was the goddess. The goddess wasn't there? They could make that work. Camila made a mental note and moved closer to the conversation. If she could learn the demigods' plans, it would make the lives of her fellow peacekeepers easier.

"Did Arcadia go?" Annabeth asked. Reyna nodded. "I saw her not too long ago, so it must have been recent. Hylla, how did things go with Phrike?"

"It was a dead end," Hylla said. She glanced at her Reyna, but Reyna didn't look up from the ground. "Phrike just tried to taunt me, but she can't do much in those chains. I say we just keep her locked away until the Olympians can handle her."

Of course. The goddess failed them. This is why they couldn't go to outsiders for help. When had the gods ever done anything right for them? Phrike failed in her job, just like Camila knew she would. Immortals always failed at their jobs, whether it was protecting the mother of their child or keeping demigods occupied.

"Agreed," Annabeth said. Her gaze stayed focused on Reyna. After a few moments, Reyna looked up and met Annabeth's eyes. "Are you okay? I know how badly Phrike affected you last time."

Camila saw a very angry man, a demititan, walking towards the table. He threw a golden sword at the table. It skidded across the table and fell to the ground. It did leave some blood on the table, and if Camila was correct, that was demititan blood. Hylla turned towards the demititan that had thrown the sword.

"What were you thinking?" the demititan practically yelled. He slammed his hand into the table. "Why did Sarah stumble into the infirmary with this stabbed into her stomach? Where did you send her?"

"Calm down," Hylla began. She raised both of her hands. "Sarah, Annabeth, and I were discussing ways to get more information on the barbarian army. Sarah suggested going to the peacekeepers under a white flag and pretending to be a messenger or anything else to get them talking and find out what she could. Sarah was confident that she could get out if they tried anything. We didn't mean for anything to happen to her."

So, the demititan was just there to distract them and get information. It wasn't like Camila really trusted the demititan anyway, even with the sob story that was created. They could have easily sent Sarah on her way or maybe even have Pia or Asher question Sarah and keep her distracted. Instead, Neith reacted without consulting.

"Sarah is barely clinging to life!" the demititan yelled. He slammed his hand into the table once again. Camila closed her eyes. She could sense the feeling of death that seemed to come from what she assumed was the infirmary. It was almost overpowered by the feeling of death that came from Reyna. The Reaper walked in death and was shrouded in it. "That wasn't just a decision for Sarah to make There are four demititan leaders, so you should have gone through four people first!"

Gods, they needed to stop arguing. Camila was starting to get a headache. How did these demigods and demititans expect to survive, if they were divided? It seemed like they were spending half of their time arguing. Camlia debated going back to the peacekeeper camp to tell them to go ahead and attack. It would distract the leaders, but she would also lose sight of Kronos' sword.

Camila crouched down and placed a hand to the ground. It wouldn't be hard to raise an army of the dead, rush in there, and grab the sword. She would be back to the shadows before anyone could stop her. Camila smiled and closed her fist. Before she could open it, another feeling of death washed over her. Camila quickly retreated into the shadows. One of her siblings were nearby.

"Mason. Calm down," Ryke ordered. Mason shook his head angrily and stared down at the table. He took deep breath, but that didn't seem to help any. "Will she live?"

"I don't know," Mason snapped. He buried his face in his hands. Camila debated with herself. If she could find the infirmary and a Roman weapon, she could slit the throat of Sarah. The demititan's death would cause a divide even greater than the one she was seeing. There was still the matter of her sibling though. They were somewhere in the camp. "Why are the demititans always left out of the loop? If you want us to work together, we must actually work together."

"You're right. I'm sorry," Hylla said. It seemed like she was trying to keep her temper as well. Camila rolled her eyes. They were all pathetic. It wasn't hard to stop fighting and focus on a common enemy. "We made a rushed decision, and it backfired. I'm sorry."

"As long as it's not demigod blood, right?" Mason asked. He turned away from the table and stormed away. Ryke glanced back at the demigods and then followed after the other demititan. Hylla let out a sigh and looked at the table.

"I guess there is a bright side," Reyna muttered. She cleaned the blood off of the sword and stared down at it. Camila had seen all of the people that Reyna had killed. Some were with Kronos' sword. Others weren't. The demigod was unhinged, so she should have been perfect for them.

"Barely," Hylla muttered. She hit the table and started to pace. Camila retreated further back against the wall, but the shadows would keep her hidden. It was better safe than sorry though. Hylla finally looked at Reyna. "Are you doing okay?"

"As good as I can be," Reyna muttered. She looked down at the the ground and buried her knuckles into the table. Camila leaned forward, watching for any weaknesses. "Arcadia hasn't been gone for thirty minutes, and I already wish she was back. I didn't realize how much I started to rely on her, and we need a goddess to help us."

"You've never needed an immortal before. Now is no different," Hylla said. Reyna shook her head. "Hey, you need to get your confidence back. Try to calm down and take some deep breaths. What did Phrike show you?"

So, Phrike had gotten to Reyna but managed to ruin everything after that. Reyna was suppose to be left curled up in a small ball with a very shattered mind. The other leaders were suppose to be living out their worst nightmares. Where did the goddess go though?

"I just want to focus on what's ahead. Please don't make me think about it," Reyna said. Her voice was so quiet that Camila barely heard the words. Hylla grabbed Reyna's shoulder. The hair on the back of Camila's neck raised, and she watched a girl walk towards the table. The girl was a Roman, based on her armor. From the feeling she gave off, she was a daughter of Pluto.

"Hazel, are they here?" Annabeth asked. The girl, Hazel, shook her head. She looked so young, but Camila knew the girl had a good grasp of her powers. That was common for all children of Hades though. They all needed to grow up so fast, and the world was always against them the most.

"Not yet," Hazel replied. She looked around, and her eyes seemed to linger on the shadows that Camila was standing in. "But, something is going on. When I was near the army, I felt something weird. It felt like the shadows were shifting. I think someone is using shadow travel, but it can't be Nico."

"Camila. She's a daughter of Hades," Reyna said. Camila took that as her signal to leave. She slowly moved along the wall. It would be difficult to grab the sword with Hazel there, but Camila could make it work. "I bet she was sent here to find the sword. We need someone to keep it safe."

"You should," Annabeth said. She grabbed Kronos' sword and held it out to Reyna. After a few moments, Reyna grabbed it. "I trust you with the sword. You know how to use it, and I feel better with it in your hands."

Camila glanced around and finally darted away from the scene. She would be able to sense Reyna and find her. Stealing Kronos' sword would be a difficult task, but she would be able to do it. If it came down to the worst case scenario, she would just tackle Reyna into the shadows and bring her back to the peacekeeper camp

Camila closed her eyes and followed another, smaller feeling of death. It belonged to the demititan. Camila would find the demititan and slit her throat. The demigods were not going to know anything else about their army. They would find out everything they needed to know when the army smashed right into them and took over this pathetic excuse of a camp.

The peacekeeper used the shadows to make her way towards a large building: the Senate House. Camila studied the map of Camp Jupiter so many times. She dreamed about this day ever since her village was destroyed. Camila still remembered the screams of pain and agony that came from her people that day.

Camila took a deep breath and looked up at the Senate House. This was where they made the decision. The Senate decided to send their army to attack a small, defenseless village that was still stuck in their Pagan ways. There was no need to slaughter all of the men and do unspeakable acts to the woman. There was no need to take the children away. Camila felt her anger starting to overwhelm her, but she took a deep breath.

Now was not the time for the revenge that she swore to have. That would come later. Camila would find the ancestors of those who violated her home, and they would pay a very heavy price. Camila smiled slightly and then forced herself to focus. She stepped into the Senate House.

The entire room had been changed into an infirmary. Empty beds littered the room. Camlia doubted those beds would be full anytime soon. They didn't plan of just injuring the demigods that they fought. Camila glanced at all of the medical supplies and then the only occupied bed in the room.

A serious looking woman was standing over Sarah. There was a bandage around Sarah's stomach, and she wasn't conscious. A second woman stood off to the side, and she was probably the oldest of all of them and a champion of Fate.

Camila took a shaky breath and hid herself in the shadows. Maybe, she should just turn away. If the peacekeepers attacked now, they would be able to destroy the Romans before they got information about their numbers. Camila took a step back, only to hear whispers in the shadows.

Camila flipped her sword in her hand and turned around swinging her sword. Another sword caught hers. Camila stared at the daughter of Pluto: Hazel. How did Hazel find her? The shadows should have kept her safe, and there was no way that Hazel was strong enough to sense her.

Hazel stabbed forward with her sword, and Camila pushed herself out of the shadows. She slammed a closed fist into the ground and opened her hand. The ground stared to split open. Hazel slammed her foot into the ground, and it started to close. Camila looked up in shock.

"You hold no black blood," Camila snapped. She was the strongest child of Hades to ever walk this mortal realm. No one should be able to compare to her. "How are you doing this?"

Camila attacked Hazel. The two of them traded blows, until Camila was able to split the ground underneath her opponent's foot. Hazels' foot slipped into the ground, and Camila closed the ground on the girl's ankle. She slammed her knee into Hazel's jaw, stopping the scream of pain that came from her weaker sibling.

Camila felt a sharp pain in her back, and she slowly turned her head to see an arrow sticking out of her spine. Everything started to spin a moment later. Camila collapsed to her knees. She had been poisoned by the arrow, and the poison was working faster than anything she had ever experienced before. A little poison wasn't going to stop her though.

After making it to her feet, Camila barely caught an arrow that was going to hit her in the throat. She stared at the doctor in front of her. The doctor fired off another arrow, and Camila stepped into the shadows. She appeared behind the doctor and stabbed her in the hip. Camila kicked the doctor's feet out from under her and slammed a knee into the back of her head.

Camila placed a hand to her necklace. She rubbed the symbol of her clan and then the string that acted as a necklace. Power coursed through her veins, and she looked around the room. Hazel was struggling to free her ankle from the ground, and it didn't help that she was clearly concussed. The doctor was unconscious. That left the champion. Where the hell was the champion?

Camila slowly looked around the room. The champion of Fate was nowhere in sight. She smiled and slowly stood. That was easy than she expected. The shadows behind her suddenly screamed. Before she could turn around, a sword stabbed through her back and out her chest.

It took Camila a few moments to look at the sword that was now sticking out of her chest. It was covered in her black blood, and the pain slowly hit her. It started at her chest and slowly spread throughout her body. Her string burned on her neck.

"I'm sorry," the champion whispered. Camila felt a shaking hand grab the string around her neck. She tensed and tried to summon any power that she could. For some reason, it felt like her body was in shut down mode. Camila blinked and found herself in another place.

Camila sat atop a tree and looked down at the village below. Children played tag with each other and ran around Elders sat around a small fire and talked about their day. A few woman hurried to prepare a feast, while the men watched over everything. Camila looked around and met her mother's eyes. Grief tore though her as her mother waved.

Camila hid her face, but a bitter smile came to it. This was her home, before it was destroyed. Everything was right. She heard a noise next to her and turned her head. Cold, dead eyes stared at her. The god wore plain black robes, almost like one of their priests wore. Hades spoke, "It's time."

"You stopped me," Camila realized. She shook her head. "You stopped my powers. I could have defended myself. You stopped my powers today like you did back then!"

"No," Hades said. He looked down at the village sadly. "All of the woman I lay with are seemingly condemned to die a horrible death. Nothing I do protects them. I didn't block your powers that day, and I didn't block them now."

"I couldn't do anything," Camila snapped. She looked down at the village and felt pain tear through her. This is why she was going to replace her father. Those who were just trying to live their life would not be attacked by bloodthirsty armies that understood nothing about them. "I watched everything they did."

"You were too scared and horrified to do anything," Hades said. He gently grabbed Camila's shoulder. "I won't allow them to send you to Tartarus. I will make sure your soul is treated correctly, and I will do my best for your friends."

"You pull me away, so I can't defend myself," Camila said. She shook her head. She wasn't surprised. The Olympians were scared of the peacekeepers and the power that they possessed. "This is only going to anger my friends. They will destroy all of the demigods."

"You misunderstand my intentions," Hades stated. He stared ahead and focused on Camila's mother. "She would be proud of you for trying to do what you believed was right, even if it drove you down this path. You allowed this to consume you."

"The poison from the arrow has you half paralyzed, but the champion's sword does the rest. It is the sword that belongs to a mortal, and mortals are not as strong or skilled as demigods. That is why the sword give them an edge. A wound from the sword cuts you off from your powers," Hades said. He smiled coldly. "They made the woman an immortal, and that sword is in her hands. I hope she stays true to herself."

"No matter the consequences," Camila said. She felt the cold blade against the back of her neck. It would only be a few second until she was dead. Camila closed her eyes. She didn't forgive her father. She didn't forgive the Romans. Camila would never forgive any of them, but she had done everything she could. She stayed true to herself.

"I didn't want you to be in too much pain. The swords of the champions tear at your very soul. I am proud of you," Hades said. Camila opened her eyes and found herself back at the Senate House. She heard a small cut and watched half of her string fall to the ground. The other half fell a moment later, and darkness consumed her for the final time, as her life faded away.


	62. A Question of Trust

"It's been a hour," Zara said softly. She stared at the ground and tried to get rid of the pit of despair in her gut. They had heard nothing from Camila. Getting the sword shouldn't have taken a long time, unless something happened. Had someone found Camila? Was she safe? Was she just being cautious in returning to them?

Zara glanced around the tent. Theo was sitting next to her and playing with a bottle of water. He had created a miniature tornado inside the water bottle and was focused on keeping it going. It was his way of calming down, but Zara didn't think it was time for them to be calm.

They were already suppose to have Camp Jupiter under their heel and be on the way to Mount Olympus. Their parents should be destroyed within the next few hours. Instead, they were stuck waiting to get their hands on the sword that would complete their plans. Zara stood from the table and walked towards Neith.

Neith was standing over a map of Camp Jupiter and studying it with Dominic. Zara walked towards them and spoke, "We need to stop wasting time. We need to attack Camp Jupiter now. There has to be something we can do instead of just standing around and wasting time."

"Why don't you sit back down?" Dominic asked, and he sneered at her. "You don't know anything about war anyway. Your only job is to sit there and be quiet. We will handle things, like we always do. There's no need for you to ruin anything else."

Zara stared at Dominic. She hadn't ruined anything. When she tried to voice her protest, Dominic held up a hand and spoke, "You are the reason that Burza died. You're the one who was so dead set on trying to make friends with Reyna and look where that got us!"

"We needed a twelfth," Zara snapped. She clenched her fist and felt Theo grab her shoulder. Theo stepped in front of Zara. Dominic stepped forward and got right into Theo's face. Vasicio jumped to his feet and got in between the two of them.

"It was a vote that we all took," Asher interrupted. He was playing a game of cards with Charles and Hilk. He glanced up. "We all take the blame for our decisions. We never pin it on anyone."

"We also shouldn't be sending people off to retrieve a sword by themselves," Pia added. She was sitting in a bunk and staring at the ground. "If Camila does not return soon, we must assume that she is dead and move forward with our plan, but we must also know who sent Camila to her death."

"We need that sword," Hilk said. He crossed his arms and shook his head. "We can't have too many people giving out orders during war. That would mean there are too many chefs and not enough cooks. We should delegate the power to someone."

"It shouldn't be to a warmonger or to someone who doesn't know the ways of the Romans," Charles argued. Dominic glared at him. Neith leaned on the table and stared down at the map. "We all need a voice during this war. Our problem was that we diverted from the plan."

"We only diverted from the plan because of the demititan. She was only trying to trick us," Neith said. She shook her head. "It is my fault that we lost Kronos' sword, and if something happens to Camila, it will be my fault. I will take the blame for that."

"That doesn't fix everything," Vasicio commented. Pia nodded her agreement. "If something has happened to Camila, being sorry won't bring her back. There was no reason for her to be sent to Camp Jupiter on a suicide mission."

"I did what I had to do. We need that sword," Neith argued. It didn't take long for the rest of the tent to fill with minor arguments and disagreements. Zara didn't find herself arguing with Dominic, but he was glaring angrily at her. He said something in Latin, and Asher turned on him.

"Enough," Beleza said. Her voice wasn't raised, and there was no charmspeak in her voice. All of the peacekeepers still fell quiet. Beleza was sitting on a table and staring at the entrance of the tent. "Arguing is going to get us nowhere."

Beleza stood from the table and turned towards them. She spoke, "We have to assume that the worst did happen to Camila. That means we are down two, and I do not intend to lose anyone else. The assault on Olympus is still ongoing, and we must not waste anymore time. We all have a role to play in saving this world. That is why we were chosen to receive our strings."

"The strength of the peacekeepers have always been in our numbers," Beleza continued. Her gaze focused on all of them individually. "We cannot devolve into silly disagreements now. We need a plan, and I have a proposal. Without Kronos' sword, we will have to take drastic measures to get rid of the Olympians. We offer a trade: Hylla's string for Kronos' sword."

"Reyna won't go for it," Neith argued. She shook her head and stared at the ground. "You guys will just have to destroy the thrones of the Olympians."

"That will make it harder to take their power," Beleza stated. Her gaze focused on Zara. "Reyna still believes in you. She thinks that you will still do her definition of right. I think you should show our friend that you will do what is right for the world."

"We lose our leverage," Dominic argued. He shook his head. "And, Zara cannot handle this responsibility. This is too big for her."

"Listen to my plan before you protest," Beleza said. She crossed her arms. "We send a message to Reyna and propose the trade. We meet at a neutral location. If she agrees, we get back the item we need to storm Olympus. If she refuses, we worm doubt in her head. What would Reyna do if she thought that we actually have a way to cut Hylla's string? It will also drive more of a wedge between the leaders."

"A demititan either died for the sword or is on death's door because of it. It's going to look bad if a demigod gives it right back to us," Vasicio commented. He nodded. "What about Camp Jupiter?"

"It depends on if Reyna agrees to meet with us or not. If she does, we hold off attacking until we know she is at the meeting If she doesn't agree, we immediately attack. This is a winning situation for us. We either get Kronos' sword and Hylla's string, or we kill some of the leaders who decide to go with Reyna to the meeting," Beleza explained.

"I say we go forward with this plan," Theo said. Zara quickly agreed. The rest of the peacekeepers quickly agreed as well. They clearly just wanted to have a set plan and finally be able to get in on the action. "Who is going to do what?"

"Zara will send the message to meet Reyna alone. I say we have two more go with her as backup, and they reveal themselves when they're needed," Beleza said. She looked around. "The rest of us prepare to take Camp Jupiter. We need to get ready now."

"I'll go with Zara, if she'll have me," Neith said. She looked at Zara. "I need to fix my mistake of losing the sword, and if the goddess is there, it will be harder for her to sense me."

"I'm coming too," Theo said. He crossed his arms. "They are not going to attack us, especially since we are near the Tiber River. They know that they can't match my skill near water. Dominic can handle the assault."

"Finally talking sense," Dominic commented. He shook his head. "I'm fine with those three going. I want Vasicio at my side, so the two of us can make the best plan that uses everyone's power correctly. Anyone got a problem with any of this?"

No one said a word. Dominic led Vasicio out of the tent without another word. Hilk snapped his fingers, and a blank Iris message appeared. He nodded to them and walked out of his tent. Everyone but Theo and Neith followed. Beleza lingered by the door and watched them. They all stayed out of the way of the Iris message.

"Show me Reyna at Camp Jupiter," Zara ordered. She watched the Iris message slowly shimmer. It formed an image of Reyna, who was sitting on a bed. A woman was slowly peeling off the bandages around Reyna's wrist. "Imperator."

Reyna's eyes shot up. Her gaze focused on Zara, and she didn't say a word. Zara stared back at the demigod. If things had gone differently in the elevator, they would be working together. If Reyna hadn't murdered her friend, they would be changing the world for the better.

"Zara," Reyna said. She stood from the bed and studied the Iris message intently. "What do you want?"

"Did you kill her?" Zara asked. Neith gave her a look, but she ignored it. Zara needed to know if Camila was alive or not. She needed to know if another one of her friends had died senselessly. Reyna looked down at the ground.

"Camila is dead but not by my hand," Reyna said. Zara closed her eyes. Grief hit her, but there was no tears. She couldn't cry anymore. The only thing she could do was try to keep the rest of her friends alive. "I'm sorry, Zara. I didn't want any of this to happen."

"I want to make a trade," Zara said quickly. She opened her eyes and stared at Reyna. "I want to trade Kronos' sword for your sister's string. Please."

"I can't do that," Reyna said. She crossed her arms. "You can't do anything to my sister's string without the sword. And, don't think I forgot what your friend did to my mother. I will never give you Kronos' sword."

"Then save me," Zara said softly. She knew her fellow peacekeepers were watching her closely, but none of them reacted to her words. "The other peacekeepers blame me for what happened, and if I don't get the sword, they are going to kill me. You have to help me. Please."

Reyna looked away and seemed to be thinking about it. Zara looked down and spoke, "I can lie to them and say that you are willing to trade the sword for the string. I can convince them to stay behind or even wait further away. You have to help me though. I can't take this violence or fighting anymore."

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Reyna asked. Zara slowly looked up and met Reyna's eyes. Zara closed her eyes, and in that moment, she hated herself. She was going to lie to a demigod that actually believed in her.

"You were right," Zara said. She opened her eyes. "We're doing terrible things to barbarians that haven't done anything to us. They are under our command, and we are torturing them for failure. Neith wanted to disable you with Phrike, but I know what that goddess does to your head. I need to get out of here, Reyna. You're the only one who can help me."

Reyna looked down and cursed softly. She spoke, "Can we just slip you out during a battle?"

"We could," Zara began. She swallowed painfully. "But, they'll still have your sister's string. If I lie to them and say that you agreed to the meeting, they'll give me the string. I can make sure your sister is safe."

Reyna looked away and seemed to be lost in thought. She closed her eyes and finally nodded. Reyna spoke, "Where are we meeting?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Zara saw someone point to a map, and she instantly understood. Zara spoke, "There's a warehouse that is not far from here. I'm sure you know of it. Camp Jupiter uses it to store supplies, and it's rumored to host a secret tunnel to Camp Jupiter, but I'm not sure where the tunnel is. We can find it and use it to escape back to Camp Jupiter."

Reyna studied Zara for a long time. There was a hesitant look on her face, as if she didn't know whether she could really trust Zara or not. Zara didn't blame the imperator one bit. She was lying directly to Reyna's face, and every single fiber of her being hated what she was becoming. The peacekeepers were going to do terrible things if they got their hands on Reyna.

Could Zara really go through with this? She watched the peacekeepers already do terrible things to barbarians that they hardly knew. Reyna killed Burza, and all of the peacekeepers wanted revenge for the loss of their friend. Could Zara really allow that to happen to Reyna?

"I trust you, Zara. I'll be at the warehouse in less than a hour," Reyna said. She ran a hand through the Iris message. Zara heard Beleza congratulating her, and Neith was making a plan. Zara ignored the words and looked down. She couldn't ignore the guilt that tore through her. If Reyna did go to the meeting alone, Zara knew for a fact that Reyna wouldn't leave the warehouse alive.


	63. Ye Who Enter Here

"I don't see anyone else," Reyna said softly. She stared at the warehouse that was in front of them. Reyna had only been in there twice before and both times were a rushed tour. While it was true that the warehouse stored some of Camp Jupiter's supplies, it was also used to make some of their weapons. How did Zara know about the tunnel that led to Camp Jupiter though?

Reyna shifted and didn't see any peacekeepers hiding around the surrounding building. She let out a deep breath and started to stand. A hand grabbed her arm, and Reyna looked at Annabeth. The daughter of Athena spoke, "Be safe. Okay?"

"I will," Reyna replied. She slowly swung the sword off of her back and examined it. The sword looked exactly like Kronos' sword, but it held no special powers. It wouldn't kill the Olympians or cut anyone's string. They couldn't take a chance, so they used a little bit of the Mist, magic, and paint to make a regular Roman sword look like Kronos' sword.

Reyna did trust Zara, but she would be a fool to walk in there with Kronos' sword. One peacekeeper working with them didn't mean that all of the peacekeepers would. Reyna swung the sword across her back and walked towards the warehouse.

Everyone thought she was insane for trusting one of the peacekeepers. Zara was different than the others though. She was going to help them stop the other peacekeepers and keep the violence to a minimum. She was just worried that another peacekeeper would have overheard their conversation.

Was it such a good idea to leave Camp Jupiter now? Were they just trying to pull her away? The tunnel would be a couple of miles for a run, so she wouldn't miss that much of the fight. Were they just going to use her to find the entrance to the tunnel? If that was the case, Reyna could just leave the warehouse normally with Zara.

Reyna shook her head and took a deep breath. She needed to clear herself of all of those thoughts and just remain focused on the present. She had faith in Zara, and she just had to hope that it wouldn't bite her in the ass.

Reyna stepped into the warehouse and looked at all of the shelves that created a complex maze. The shelves were full of boxes that continued a variety of things from metal all the way to medical supplies. Reyna listened for any talking or walking, but she heard nothing. She hadn't seen anyone enter the warehouse, but there was multiple entrances.

As Reyna walked, she kept a hand on her sword. Maybe, she should have told Annabeth to stay behind at Camp Jupiter. It wasn't like the daughter of Athena could help her anyway. Reyna shook her head and took a deep breath. She needed to stay calm and focused.

"You came," a voice said. Reyna quickly turned around and looked at Zara. The peacekeeper stepped out from behind a corner. She was wearing a jacket, but Reyna could see that Zara was wearing armor. "Thank you."

"The string," Reyna said. Zara nodded and reached into her pocket. As she pulled the string from her pocket, Reyna's breath caught in her throat. She stared at the string, and Zara slowly held it out. Reyna grabbed the string and ran a finger across it. Glimpses of her sister's life ran across her eyes. Reyna took the string and put it in her pocket.

"You're not going to regret this," Reyna promised. She noticed the how Zara was staring at the sword on Reyna's back. "We're going to get you out of here and to safety. The others are wary, but we're not going to lock you in a cell. I'm sorry you have to do this, but I'm glad you're doing the right thing."

"I'm sorry," Zara said, and she met Reyna's eyes. Reyna saw the weapon glint off of Zara's eyes and turned, grabbing onto her sword handle. Before she could finish turning, something heavy and blunt slammed into her forearm, and her elbow was slammed into the shelf. Something in her forearm snapped a moment later.

Reyna cried out and fell to her knees. She felt Theo kick her down and place his trident back to her forearm. He trapped her forearm in between two of the prongs and kept it pinned to the ground. Reyna slowly stared at the trident and then up at Theo.

"You lied to me," Reyna began. Terrible, burning pain began in her forearm and steadily traveled throughout the rest of her arm. A glance at the trident showed nothing had stabbed into her arm, but an attempt to move her fingers was met with terrible pain. Reyna took a pained breath. The last thing she needed was her left arm to be out of commission.

"I'm sorry," Zara repeated. Theo grabbed Reyna's shirt and pulled her up. He then slammed his knee directly into her jaw. Reyna's world went dark, and when she came to, there was terrible pain in her jaw. Her wrists were tied in front of her with a zip tie, and her armor was gone, but her sword was still at her side.

Reyna tried to move her arms, but pain shot through her left arm. She hissed and turned on her side. A boot appeared next to her face. Reyna slowly looked up at Neith. The peacekeeper was studying Reyna's faceplate.

"Personalized for every member. How cute," Neith commented. She knelt by Reyna and grabbed her jaw. "Do you know what the best part of all of this is?"

Reyna remained silent. She wasn't going to give Neith the satisfaction. Neith smirked down at her and grabbed onto Reyna's sword. She slowly unsheathed it and grabbed the string from Reyna's pocket. An attempt to grab the peacekeeper's hand was met with sharp pain in her arm and another knee to her jaw.

Reyna groaned and closed her eyes tightly. When she reopened them, her arms were trapped above her, and she was hanging a few inches off of the ground. Her left arm burned in pain from supporting her weight, and any attempt to shift herself caused pain to shoot through her.

The fact that Reyna had fallen unconscious twice only worried her. She was lucky that her jaw wasn't broken, but she could feel the beginning of a headache, most likely to accompany her concussion. There was no telling how much time had passed, and Reyna could only hope it hadn't been too long.

"We have questions," Neith said. She pulled up a chair and sat in it. Reyna glared and looked up. Her wrists were now trapped to the shelf, thanks to the zip ties. There was too many items on the shelf for Reyna to use her weight to knock it over. A cold feeling settled in her gut. There was no way out of this one. "You are going to answer them."

Neith studied the string in her hands and slowly twirled it around her fingers. She spoke, "You can make this easy on us, Reyna. We want to know everything about Camp Jupiter and it's defenses. If you don't tell me, I'm going to cut your sister's string. When you tell me, I'm going to cut your sister's string."

"I am going to kill you," Reyna snapped. She slowly moved her right hand and tried to find anything that she could use on the shelf. "I am not going to tell you a damn thing."

"Such bravado," Neith said. She stood and walked towards Reyna. "I heard all about what Eris did to you, and I know that it almost broke you. How long have you been fighting, Reyna? How long have you been putting bandages on your mental and physical injuries? Sooner or later, those wounds are only going to get worse."

Reyna looked down. She knew there was no way out for her. Neith would do whatever she wanted to Reyna, and no one was going to stop her. Hylla's string was going to be cut at the end of it, and Reyna would have failed. She closed her eyes and pulled at the zip tie, despite the pain that tore through her.

"The rest of the peacekeepers are getting ready to attack your precious home. I have all the time in the world to spend with you, imperator. This is going to be vengeance for each and every single one of my people that were slaughtered by your kind," Neith said.

"Why even work with the peacekeepers?" Reyna asked. She kept trying to free her hands from the zip ties, but she only felt the wounds on her wrist reopening. Theo and Zara weren't there, so had they gone back to attack Camp Jupiter? "How are you even alive, Cleopatra?"

Neith drew in a sharp breath, like she had been shocked. She looked at Reyna and spoke, "How do you know that?"

"We found the home of a man who had information on you and the rest of your peacekeepers. I'm assuming the massacre was your handiwork," Reyna answered. She looked at Neith. "You are really trying to keep your past hidden. Are you worried about what the other peacekeepers will think about it? Do they even know how you are?"

The rod slammed into her ribs, and something snapped. Reyna cried out in pain and took a pained breath. She spoke, "I'm guessing they don't, and it would just be a shame if someone told them."

"The Greek and Roman world will fall to chaos," Neith whispered. She slammed the rod into Reyna's side again. Another crack caused Reyna to gasp in pain. "My people will take back the power that was stolen from us. Do you think I care about the struggles of the poor, innocent demigods? All I care about is taking my power back, and that starts with you."

"They're going to find out," Reyna warned. "It might not be from me, but they will find out. It is going to tear the peacekeepers apart, but that only helps you, doesn't it? You are just like Eris. You want chaos."

"I am not like that goddess," Neith snapped. She glared at Reyna. "I am doing this to avenge my people. She does this to satisfy her own twisted needs. You Greeks and Romans absolutely disgust me, and I'm going to treat you like the scum you are."

"So, Beleza was right," Theo said. Neith quickly whirled around. Theo stepped out from behind a shelf, along with Zara. "She told us that you were lying about who you were. Why didn't you tell us?"

"Back away from Reyna. We're taking her prisoner, but we're not going to torture her," Zara said. Neith remained silent but took a step backwards. Zara hurried towards Reyna and studied her. She placed a gentle hand to Reyna's side.

"I'm sorry it has to be like this," Zara whispered. Reyna shook her head and looked away. She struggled once again with the zip ties, but it only caused her more and more pain. "I am sorry."

"You don't have to lie anymore," Reyna snapped. Zara shook her head and looked at the ground. Reyna glanced at the other two peacekeepers. Neith was staring at the ground, and her eyes were focusing on Reyna's fallen sword. Theo was studying Zara.

"You're hurt and just need to calm down. We can take care of you, but you have to work with us," Zara said. Reyna didn't even look at the peacekeeper. She didn't need to hear anymore of the lies. "Reyna, listen to me."

"I am going to kill all of you," Reyna promised. She finally looked at Zara. "All of you continue to threaten my friends and family. You have already tried to kill them. You destroyed my mother! I gave you a little faith, and you stuck a dagger in my back. Fuck you."

Zara shook her head and turned away. Theo grabbed her shoulder, but Zara just pulled away from him and stormed away. Theo sighed and spoke, "Neith, do what you have to do. Don't cut Hylla's string yet. We can still manipulate her wife."

"Fine," Neith said. She looked at Reyna and sneered. The air shimmered, and blood suddenly filled Reyna's vision. She blinked rapidly and saw that Neith was on her knees. A red blade was sticking out of her throat.

Theo threw his trident, and the air shimmered once again. Annabeth's hat fell off of her head, and she quickly backed away. Neith collapsed to the ground and gasped desperately for breath. Theo slammed Annabeth into the shelf.

Reyna felt the shelf starting to move, and she tried to slip out of the zip tie that kept her trapped. Neith slowly removed the sword from her throat and choked on her own blood. Reyna felt a sense of satisfaction. Neith deserved to suffer.

Reyna knew they didn't have much time. Zara would hear the noise and be back to help her peacekeepers. Reyna's arm was absolutely killing her, and she wouldn't be much help in a fight. Reyna did her best to place her feet on the shelf and stand on it.

Before Reyna could really get her footing, she felt the entire shelf start to shift. A loud curse escaped her, as the shelf crashed to the ground and on top of her. Reyna yelled in pain and felt two separate and very painful cracks throughout her body.

"I hate my life," Reyna wheezed. She spat out blood and laid her head back. All she wanted to do was curse everything in her life and just pass out from the pain. Instead, she grabbed the zip tie in her teeth and tried to bite through it.

"Calm down," a voice ordered. A dagger cut right through the zip tie, and Annabeth lifted the shelf. Reyna slowly scooted backwards and placed a hand to her injured arm. She felt something very sharp on her fingers.

"Is that my bone?" Reyna asked. She felt ready to vomit, and it felt like her body was about to go into shock. Reyna needed to think of anything else except for her injury. "Where's Theo?"

"Unconscious," Annabeth replied. She grabbed Reyna's arm and wrapped her jacket around it. "That's kind of why I brought the shelf down. I am so sorry."

Reyna winced as she was helped into a sitting position. She spat blood out and wheezed for breath. The shelf had broken her arm much worse and crushed most of her rib cage. Reyna closed her eyes and felt Annabeth make a makeshift sling out of her jacket.

"There's a tunnel," Reyna began. She felt Annabeth practically pull her to her feet. "It can get us back to Camp Jupiter. I guess I owe you one."

"You don't owe me anything," Annabeth whispered. They both heard the shelf move. Reyna turned her head and watched the shelf get shoved to the side. Theo stood and held out his hand. His trident shot towards his hands. "Oh come on."

Reyna took a step backwards. She was in no condition to fight anyone, but she needed to help Annabeth somehow. Reyna heard coughing and turned around. Neith was starting to stand, despite the hole in her throat. Reyna spoke, "We should go."

"Agreed," Annabeth said. She started to walk backwards. Reyna slowly followed, but she met eyes with Neith. A cruel smile came to Neith's face, and she raised Hylla's string. Her hand started to move towards Reyna's sword. Before Reyna realized what she was doing, she launched herself into Neith.

Reyna slammed her fist into Neith's face and dug her fingers into Neith's injured throat. Reyna spoke, "You are not going to get away with threatening my sister anymore. I am going to tear your heart out."

Reyna grabbed the dagger from Neith's side and went to stab her in the chest. She felt two hands grab her, and she was thrown into the wall injured arm first. The world dissolved into pain after that, and she collapsed to the ground.

When Reyna forced her eyes open, she expected to find herself tied back up. Instead, she was laying on the ground, and she could hear sounds of fighting. Reyna didn't feel any pain in her arm, and she felt strength slowly fill her limbs. Reyna heard a low growl in her ear. The growl told her to get to her feet and finish the job.

It took a moment for Reyna to stagger to her feet. She grabbed her sword from the ground. Theo had Annabeth pinned to the ground and had the trident only a few inches from her throat. Annabeth was desperately trying to keep the trident away.

Reyna stumbled towards Theo and stabbed him in back. She twisted the sword and tore it out of his back. Her eyes moved around Theo's body for anything that resembled a string, but she didn't see one. Reyna threw Theo to the ground and tried to stab him in the chest

A bony shoulder slammed into Reyna, knocking her to the ground. Even though she definitely jolted her broken ribs, she didn't feel any pain. Reyna forced Zara onto her back and dug her forearm into Zara's throat.

"Please leave Theo alone," Zara begged. Her hand reached towards a small pocket in her armor, and she pulled out a string. "Kill me instead and spare him. Please."

Reyna stared at the string and slowly grabbed it. Zara didn't fight her. Reyna could see flashes of Zara's life. She saw Zara's first day at Camp Half-Blood. She also saw Zara's being picked to go on a quest that she was scared to go on. Dark figures appeared next, and a shining light, Eirene, saved Zara from those figures.

"Just spare him," Zara whispered. Reyna held the string in her right hand and looked down at her sword. As she reached out to grab it, a foot slammed into her jaw. Reyna collapsed to the ground and tried to sit up. A knee slammed into her jaw, and her head slammed against the hard ground.

The growl in her ear quieted but then suddenly became much more real. Something cold pressed into the side of Reyna's face. Reyna opened her eyes and looked up at Lupa. The wolf goddess spoke, "You're hurt, pup."

"It's nothing new," Reyna said. She stared up at the roof of the wolf house. Reyna wasn't in the warehouse anymore, which meant unconscious had finally taken her. Despite her current predicament, she was more worried about her second in command. "Is Arcadia okay?"

"No," Lupa replied. She growled softly, and the image changed. Reyna was now on Mount Olympus and could see her second in command. Arcadia was laying on her stomach near the edge of Olympus. She slowly rolled onto her back and began coughing out Ichor. Both hands moved to her chest. "Her part is not done yet. Neither is yours."

"What can I do?" Reyna asked. She sat up and blinked. Reyna looked back around the wolf house. "I can't kill Zara, even though she betrayed me. I don't know how to kill Neith. Gods, Annabeth is alone to fight all three of them."

"Is she?" Lupa asked. Reyna blinked again and found herself back at the warehouse. She could see herself unconscious on the ground. Neith was laying near a shelf and was trying to remove a knife that had been stabbed into her chest. Zara was either dead or unconscious on the ground. A string was laying near her. Theo was on his knees, and Annabeth held a sword to his throat.

"You don't understand what they do," Theo began. He coughed out blood and looked around. "The gods use you and then spit you out. They do not care for your sacrifices. I died to protect the camp and people that I loved. The gods spat in my memory by not honoring a simple request for better protection. When a daughter of Zeus sacrifices herself on the hill, that wish is magically granted."

"I know what they do," Annabeth confirmed. She looked down at Zara and then Neith. "I saw the toll it takes on someone and how it changes them. I can't let you leave alive though."

"You'll never find my string, unless I give it to you," Theo said. His eyes moved to Zara. "I will give you my string, if you promise to let her leave alive. Swear on the River Styx to not harm Zara."

"Just Zara?" Annabeth asked. Theo nodded and looked up. Annabeth lowered her sword. "I swear on the River Styx to let Zara leave this warehouse alive. I don't know what will happen to her afterwards though, and I can't make any promises about that."

"I know," Theo said. He slowly stood and walked towards Zara. He grabbed her string and placed it back into her pocket. Then, he kissed her forehead. "I always keep my promises, Zara. Please be safe."

Theo stood and placed a hand to his necklace. It looked just like all of the necklaces that campers at Camp Half-Blood had, and it was filled with beads. He took the necklace off and removed one of the beads. Theo unraveled the string from one of the beads and held it out towards Annabeth. After a moment, Annabeth grabbed the string. Then, she cut it with Reyna's sword.

Reyna looked away and stared at the ground. Lupa spoke, "You must keep fighting, cub. You are close to victory but also very far from it. Their army is attacking yours, and you will be overwhelmed, unless you get help."

"How do we get help?" Reyna asked. Lupa's lip curled, as if she was trying to grin. "Lupa, please don't play games with me. How do I get help?"

"Have faith," Lupa replied. Reyna stared at the wolf goddess. What was that suppose to mean? How was keeping the faith going to get help for Camp Jupiter? "If you have faith and stick with the plan, everything will work out. Now wake. You're needed."


	64. Remember the Monsters

As Annabeth looked around the warehouse, she wasn't sure how to feel. She had killed another peacekeeper, but she also allowed one to live. Reyna was badly hurt and probably couldn't walk on her own. They had another injured peacekeeper that they could get information from, but that was only if they brought her back to Camp Jupiter.

A small groan caught Annabeth's attention. She quickly turned towards Reyna. The daughter of Bellona was still laying on her stomach and hadn't moved an inch. Annabeth still remembered the brutal knee to the jaw that looked like it had knocked Reyna into next week. It did allow Annabeth time to grab her sword and make a plan.

The two peacekeepers weren't much of a match. Zara wasn't very skilled, and it had been easy to knock her out. Theo was too injured to put up too much of a fight and was more concerned about Zara's health than his own. Gods, he acted just like Percy would have.

Annabeth walked towards a string that was laying all by itself. She grabbed the string and shivered. Considering Reyna had thrown herself at Neith for it, the string had to belong to Hylla. Annabeth went to place the string into her pocket. She stopped and walked towards Reyna. Annabeth placed the string in Reyna's hand and examined her

Reyna's eyes were fluttering open and close, but it didn't look like she would stay awake. Annabeth felt guilt tear through her. She knew that pulling the shelf down wasn't a great idea, but it had been her best move at the moment. Annabeth hoped that Reyna would have landed on her feet and be fine. This was all her fault.

Annabeth looked around the room a final time. She grabbed onto a duffel bag that she had stuffed Reyna's weapons and armor into. Annabeth slung the duffel bag across her back and knelt by Reyna. Another small groan escaped Reyna, and she shifted slightly.

"Are you with me?" Annabeth asked quietly. She didn't receive a response, so she gently placed a hand to Reyna's back. A clapping noise caught her attention. Annabeth quickly stood and turned towards the person who was clapping. She stared at the dark figure that hid in the shadows.

"Brutus and Caesar are working together once again," Metis whispered. She stepped out of the shadows and stared at Annabeth. The light seemed to go right through Metis, as if she was a ghost. "When will their war boil over?"

"Reyna and I aren't fighting anymore," Annabeth said. She stood and glared at Metis. "I thought you were suppose to still be in Tartarus and gathering strength. Why do you keep spending it to talk to me?"

"Tartarus is a part of you now, but that is not what I came here for. You and Reyna have finally made a truce," Metis stated. She smiled coldly. "A truce. Not peace. What is going to happen after the peacekeepers are dealt with? Do you really think you are just going to walk off into the sunset? The Olympians hate Reyna, and they will punish her, despite the things she has done."

"You're just trying to get into my head," Annabeth snapped. She heard whispering behind her and quickly turned around. No one was behind her, and the whispering sounded like it had followed her when she turned. Annabeth looked back at Metis and didn't see anyone else. She slowly realized the whispering was coming from the duffel bag.

"Reyna is a loose cannon. You have seen her anger and pain, and you have seen what happens when it consumes her," Metis stated. "What happens if Hylla doesn't survive this war? What happens if Hylla survives this war but dies afterwards? What happen if Reyna decides she doesn't like something that happens after this war? She has a legion that would die for her."

"The sword calls for you," Metis continued. After a moment, Annabeth slung the duffel bag off of her shoulder and opened it. She slowly grabbed onto Reyna's sword. It didn't burn her skin like it did to others. It felt right in her hands.

"I want you to listen to me," Metis whispered. She walked closer to Annabeth and looked down at Reyna. Annabeth slowly turned towards Reyna and stared down at her. "I'm sure that you remember Reyna's soul was torn in half when she was hosting Kronos."

Annabeth remained silent. She still remembered the terrible things that Reyna had done while sharing a body with Kronos. She remembered the gold that circled around Reyna's pupils and how she enjoyed all of the cruel things that she did. Annabeth closed her eyes as memories flooded her.

"Reyna managed to put her soul back together," Metis continued. "But, we know she's different now. When you tear something in half, it doesn't matter if you put it back together. It will still be missing pieces. Her soul will never truly be whole again. Annabeth Chase, do you really trust Reyna, after everything that has happened?"

Annabeth slowly looked back at the sword in her hands, and Metis spoke, "Reyna is unconscious and defenseless. It won't be honorable, but it will get rid of the threat. You know how to kill her. Bring down the monster."

Metis looked like she wanted to say more, but she slowly faded away. Annabeth stared at where Metis had been. Then, she looked down at Reyna. Did they actually make amends, or did they make a truce? What would happen after the war? Annabeth knelt by Reyna and grabbed her shoulder.

Annabeth slowly rolled Reyna onto her back and studied her face. There was an almost peaceful look on Reyna's face, and it squeezed at Annabeth's heart. She wasn't sure how long it had been since Reyna had a good night of sleep. She knew Reyna was plagued by nightmares and the voices in her head. There was no telling if Reyna was still suffering from her blackouts and having the stress of the world on her shoulders.

Annabeth placed the tip of the red blade to Reyna's chest. Would the world be safer without Reyna? She had done good things and had been trying to save the world, but Metis was right. Reyna was having issues with controlling herself, especially her anger. There was no telling when or how she would lash out next.

A cold shock ran through Annabeth, and she quickly dropped the sword. Annabeth stood and backed away. What was she doing? Why was she trying to kill Reyna? Was she really going to murder a defenseless Reyna? Annabeth took another step backwards and then turned away.

Her eyes moved around the warehouse. Zara had yet to stir, and Theo wouldn't be moving ever again. Annabeth's eyes moved towards Neith. The peacekeeper had her back to Annabeth and was making strangled noises. Neith slowly rolled onto her stomach and got to her hands and knees. One hand moved to her throat.

"Stand down," Annabeth ordered. Neith made the strangled noise again, and it slowly turned into a laugh. She stood and looked at Annabeth. The wounds on her throat and chest were completely healed. Neith held out her hand, and a rod appeared in it. "What are you?"

"The end of the this world," Neith replied. A wave of energy shot towards Annabeth, and she dove out of the way. Before she could make it to her feet, another wave of energy slammed into her and threw her into a shelf.

Annabeth collapsed to the ground and tried to get to her feet. A burning, metal tip was placed to the back of her neck. Neith spoke, "I am going to burn your world to the ground, Greek. It is up to you whether you want to stand in my way or not."

They both heard a small groan. Annabeth moved her eyes and watched Reyna place one hand to her face. The daughter of Bellona tried to lift her head, but another groan escaped her. Two zip ties appeared in front of Annabeth's face.

"Right hand to the shelf," Neith ordered. Annabeth glanced up and stared. After a moment, she used two of the zip ties to trap her hand to the shelf. Neith studied the zip ties and then trapped Annabeth's other hand to the shelf. "Don't interfere."

Annabeth looked down and closed her eyes. She tried to slip out of the zip ties but had no luck. She forced her eyes open and looked at Neith. The peacekeeper studied her for a moment and then smiled coldly. She walked towards Reyna.

Reyna lowered her hand and seemed to notice Neith. She reached for her sword, but Neith stepped on her arm and spoke, "We are not done yet, Roman. Is that understood?'

"Do you think that is going to bring your people back?" Reyna wheezed. Her voice sounded weak and full of pain. Each breath that left her was shaky and almost a wheeze. "You don't have enough peacekeepers to even take down the gods."

"Do I look like I need Zara or Theo?" Neith snapped. She looked around the warehouse, and a smirk came to her face. "You saved me the trouble, really. Theo and Burza never agreed to my plans. It is easier with them out of the way. I don't have to kill them now or stage a little accident."

"So, all that talk of being a big happy family is a lie?" Reyna asked. She seemed to shift, and Annabeth realized that Reyna had slipped Hylla's string into her pocket. Neith didn't seem to notice and looked like she was taking in the moment. "Why kill Burza though? It seems like she would have went with your plans."

"She was a Roman," Neith replied. She kicked Reyna right in the side. Reyna cried out and turned away from Neith. The peacekeeper laughed and walked around Reyna. Another kick to the gut caused Reyna to make a strangled noise. "Just like you. Don't you understand that I am going to burn your whole world down? Your kind murdered my people."

"Every. Piece. Of. Shit. Roman. Will. Pay!" Neith yelled. Each word was emphasized with brutal kicks to Reyna's ribs. By the end of it, Reyna was coughing up blood and barely able to breath. Annabeth looked away. She knew that Reyna's position as a champion of Fate meant she could only die a few ways, and injuries were not one of them. That meant Neith could do whatever she wanted to Reyna.

"You can't even begin to imagine the horrible things that your people did," Neith whispered. She knelt by Reyna and smirked. "You don't have to imagine though. Once I have my full power back, I am going to make you experience all of it. Eirene crippled me. She must have known what I was going to do, but I can feel her shackles on me loosening. You won't be able to stop me."

Neith grabbed Reyna's sword and studied it. She spoke, "You're going to cut Zara's string for me. Then, all I need to do is handle Beleza. After that, the rest of the peacekeepers will follow my word and my word alone."

Neith stepped on Reyna's left arm. She kept it pinned with her foot and wrapped Reyna's hand around the sword. Annabeth looked away and kept struggling with the zip ties. How could everything have fallen apart so quick?

"The world will bow to me," Neith promised. Annabeth looked back at the peacekeeper. Neith turned towards Zara's fallen string, only for Zara to grab her by the throat. Somehow, the peacekeeper was back on her feet. Zara's eyes seemed to turn completely black, and she stared to speak in Ancient Greek.

Annabeth couldn't quite make out what Zara was saying, but the temperature in the room dropped to a chill. The ground underneath Neith and Zara cracked, and Annabeth felt a tug in her gut. She watched Neith fall to her knees, and Zara moved her hand to Neith's temple.

Zara continued to speak, and Neith made choking noises. Zara's other hand held her string, and it was glowing brightly. Zara spoke, "Tell me how to kill you."

If Neith responded, it was too quiet for Annabeth to hear. She watched Zara shove Neith to the ground. Zara walked towards Reyna and grabbed onto the red blade. She then turned and walked back towards Neith. The world around them seemed to be whispering, and the light started to flicker.

Zara stabbed the sword into Neith's chest. Then, she started to carve into her fellow peacekeeper's chest. Zara dropped the sword and whispering something. She reached into Neith's chest and then pulled out Neith's heart. Annabeth stared in pure horror. Zara started to speak again, and the heart in her hand exploded.

Neith's body collapsed to the ground, and she didn't move after that. Zara looked at the blood that covered her hands. The string, now glowing a bright gold, slowly started to fade back to black. Zara stumbled forward and dropped the sword. Then, she collapsed to the ground.

Annabeth blinked a few times and tried to process what she had seen. Neith didn't look like she was breathing, and it seemed like Zara had actually killed her. Zara was barely breathing, and it looked like she had completely exhausted herself. Reyna was curled up on her side and breathing in short, rugged gasps.

Annabeth looked around and tried to think of a way out of her situation. It didn't seem like Reyna was in any condition to help her. There was no nearby weapons to help her. Annabeth slowly stood and looked at the large shelf. She started to kick and push boxes off of the shelf to try and make it lighter.

It didn't matter if Annabeth had to drag the shelf over to the nearest weapon or even back to Camp Jupiter. She was going to get herself free and then get medical attention for Reyna. As Annabeth worked, her eyes moved towards Zara. She did promise that she would allow Zara to leave safely, but she never said that it wouldn't be with Zara as a prisoner.

Annabeth shook her head and forced herself to look back at the shelf. The first step would be freeing herself from the shelf that had her trapped. Then, she would help Reyna. The last thing she would do was decide the fate of Zara, and something told her that the wrong decision would have dire consequences.


	65. This is War

Ambushes were a coward move. For some reason, historians thought it was a legitimate strategy and even taught all kinds of lessons based around them. Ambushes just proved that a general didn't have enough faith in their army to face their enemies in a fair war. Clarisse hated ambushes, but here she was.

Clarisse laid on the roof of the barracks that belonged to one of the cohorts. She peeked out and watched the army walk by. Sarah laid next to her and shifted uncomfortably. The demititan shouldn't have been on her feet, but she insisted on being there to help. Clarisse glanced at the demititan and then back at the barbarians.

The barbarian army walked in a weird sort of line. Most of the members weren't too close to each other, and there was multiple gaps in the line. A few of the barbarians broke off to search inside the barracks, but they never stayed too long to do a thorough search, thankfully.

Clarisse knew the Sixth Legion was hiding inside the barracks. Some had hidden under beds. Other had managed to blend into their environment perfectly, and so far, it seemed like none of them had been found. Clarisse was too large to hide under a bed, so she was stuck on the roof.

The barbarians weren't burning any of the buildings, which was a blessing. That would have forced them to start the ambush early. Another glance up showed that the barbarian army seemed to be endless. Part of her wanted to call for the ambush then and there, but they had to be patient. Being trapped in the middle of the army was a death sentence.

Clarisse closed her eyes and felt her mind starting to drift. It had been less than a hour since Reyna argued with them about going to see the peacekeeper. Clarisse thought, well she knew, that it was a waste of time and most likely an ambush. Reyna insisted it wasn't and barely agreed to allowing Annabeth to come along. They hadn't heard anything from the two, but Clarisse assumed they were safe.

"There's two peacekeepers," Sarah whispered. Clarisse's eyes snapped open, and she moved closer to the edge of the roof. Her gaze focused on the two figures that walked through the lines. They both stopped by the barracks. Both of them wore armor and had helmets on their head.

The larger of the two wore a mismatched set of armor. The breastplate looked Roman, but the greaves looked Greek. She had never seen a helmet like that before, and the pauldrons could have been from demititan armor. From his size and muscle, he was a child of Ares. Good. Clarisse was looking forward to meeting him face to face.

The other man wore a full set of Greek armor and had an owl painted on the chest. His gray eyes stood out, which meant the only thing bigger than his brain was his ego. Gods, Clarisse hated children of Athena. She did enjoy knocking them down a few pegs though.

"The demititan mentioned an ambush. I still think she was telling the truth or at least a half truth," the child of Athena said. His eyes looked around, and he looked at the roof of the barracks. Clarisse pressed herself against the roof more. "It is worth looking into, Dominic."

"It's just a distraction, Vasicio. Use that head of yours," Dominic said. He looked around. "I went to this place, remember? The Romans wouldn't commit to an ambush. It's seen as a form of cowardice, and they don't accept that here. The demititan is trying to keep us from marching right into the camp. She was just buying time, and she did that perfectly."

Vasicio shook his head but didn't voice an argument. The two moved away from the barracks. Clarisse let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding. Par of her wished that the peacekeepers had seen her, so they could get the battle started. It would ruin the ambush, but that was a small sacrifice to make.

"You told them about the ambush?" Clarisse hissed, and she looked at Sarah. The demititan studied her for a moment and seemed to be thinking over the question. There wasn't much to think about. Telling their plans to the enemy, especially an ambush that was suppose to be hidden, was unforgivable.

"I also told them that I wanted to join them," Sarah muttered. Those words did nothing to make Clarisse feel better. She glared at Sarah. The demititan shook her head. "You saw what they did to me. They didn't believe me, so does it really matter?"

Clarisse frowned and looked back down. She watched the barbarian line move further along. Dominic stayed near the barracks and seemed to pace back and forth. Vasicio had moved on with the rest of the army. Clarisse leaned back. Then, Clarisse saw the back of the barbarian line, and a smirk came to her face.

"Stay on the roof and pick them off with your bow. I don't want to find that you bled out from your injuries," Clarisse ordered. She grabbed her sword and jumped to the ground. Before a barbarian could turn, she stabbed him in the throat and pushed him off of the blade. She turned and slashed another across her upper back.

It didn't take long for chaos to begin. The barbarians turned towards her and yelled war cries. The hidden members of the demititans and Sixth Legion seemed to materialize out of the shadows, and they attacked the barbarians. Clarisse watched an arrow shoot into the sky and explode when it reached the apex of its trajectory. That was the signal for those still at Camp Jupiter that they were attacking.

The sounds of fighting filled the area, and Clarisse smiled. This was the war that she wanted. She was sick and tired of standing around and talking about what to do. This war was going to have its real first battle, and it would also be the last.

A glance around showed that their little ambush party was holding their own. A large amount of barbarians littered the ground. Things were going great, and just like that, everything went wrong. Clarisse watched two members of the Sixth Legion work together to kill a barbarian. Then, the two just collapsed to the ground. All around her, people started to collapse.

Clarisse looked around in shock. A quarter of the ambush party had just collapsed for no reason. She knelt by a member of the Sixth Legion and pulled off their face plate. She stared down at the face of Sparta. Her Roman sibling looked like she was alive but unconscious.

"What in Ares' name?" Clarisse whispered. She had seen this exact thing once before with a few children of Morpheus. If they ever got annoyed by someone teasing them or messing with them, they would put a finger to the offender's temple and drag them into a deep sleep. Clarisse had never seen it happen with no one being touched and on this scale.

Clarisse pulled off Sparta's helmet and then slapped the Roman across the face. Sparta groaned and shifted. Clarisse moved her lips close to Sparta's ear and then yelled, "Wake up!"

Sparta's eyes snapped open, and she quickly sat up. Her gaze moved towards her sword, and she blinked rapidly. Clarisse spoke, "Get your helmet and face plate back on. We have a child of Morpheus to find, and we still need to take the catapults."

"What?" Sparta asked. She rubbed her eyes and seemed like she was struggling to stay awake. Clarisse pulled Sparta to her feet. She was suddenly thrown to the ground. A javelin slammed into Sparta's shoulder and sent her flying to the ground.

Dominic seemed to just appear at Sparta's side. He pulled the javelin out of Sparta's shoulder and stabbed downwards. Sparta rolled to the side and barely avoided the javelin. Clarisse slammed into Dominic from behind and drove him into the ground.

Clarisse stabbed downwards with her sword. At the perfect moment, Dominic used his gauntlet to smack Clarisse's weapon away. Clarisse stared and felt her sword go flying. She was punched hard in the face and thrown backwards. Clarisse scrambled to her feet, and two barbarians attacked her.

Clarisse dispatched the two with ease, but most of her attention was on Dominic. The peacekeeper had kicked Sparta backwards into two other members of the Sixth Legion, turned around to stab a demititan in the throat, and then threw his sword at another member of the Sixth Legion.

"Only two?" Dominic asked, and he looked back at Clarisse. A smirk came to his face. Clarisse glared and stabbed another barbarian in the throat. She didn't even look behind herself as she swung her sword backwards and into the throat of another barbarian.

Dominic's smirk widened, and he stabbed another demititan in the stomach, causing them to double over. He slammed a knee into their face and threw them into a member of the Sixth Legion. The javelin was thrown, skewering both of them in the throat.

Clarisse knew the two of them were forces to be reckoned with. Together, they could take on an army, but they weren't together. They were enemies on the battlefield, and Clarisse couldn't allow anyone else to fall to this powerful demigod. She rushed towards Dominic.

Dominic blocked her first attack and held his right hand out. His javelin shot back to his hand. Clarisse tried to stab his exposed arm, but it was blocked as well. Clarisse attacked him with her sword and shield. Dominic seemed to block everything and finally went on the offensive. It was time for Clarisse to block everything.

The two were matched, almost too evenly. Clarisse had sparred with enough Romans to know his style, but there was times when he would pull off a flurry of unfamiliar moves that ended with her almost disarmed or skewered on the end of a javelin.

After what felt like a hour of fighting, the two pulled apart. Both of them were drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. The two armies around them were still fighting, but they were staying a respectable distance away from the two children of war.

"You could join us," Dominic said. He slowly caught his breath. "You are good, and it would be nice to have another child of war. The others are too soft."

"Let me know when Hades freezes over. We'll talk then," Clarisse said. Dominic smiled and attacked her once again. The two went back to their dance of attacks and counterattacks. None of them dodged the blows of the others. They either blocked the hit or took it. This battle was to prove who the strongest child of Ares really was, and Clarisse knew it was her.

Despite this firm belief, she still felt the burning pain of a sword sliding through her chest. Dominic stared in surprise and took a step back. Clarisse looked down at the sword that was sticking out of her chest. She was kicked off of the sword and to the ground.

"We'll knock her out of commission long enough to kill the leaders," Vasicio said. He placed his sword to Clarisse's throat. Dominic glared and suddenly knocked Vasicio's sword away. "What are you doing?"

"I had it handled," Dominic snapped. He growled angrily. "Why did you interfere in my fight?"

"Focus on the mission," Vasicio ordered. Clarisse shoved the sword away from her throat and slashed out with her own sword. She felt it hit something solid, and blood sprayed across her face. Vasicio fell to a knee. Clarisse tried to stab him in the throat, but her weapon was kicked away. A sword tip was pressed against her forehead.

Clarisse stared at the imperial gold sword. Her gaze moved towards the handle that had a piece of cloth wrapped tightly around it. Clarisse's eyes narrowed. That wasn't a piece of cloth. It was Dominic's string. She stared at it, and Dominic followed her gaze.

A sword stabbed Dominic in the back, and he was thrown to the ground. A member of the Sixth Legion pulled Clarisse to her feet. Clarisse shoved the member of the Sixth Legion back and spoke, "I don't need help from a traitor, especially if it is a daughter of Aphrodite."

Aquitaine ignored the jab. She tossed Clarisse her sword. Being Clarisse could snap out another insult, she was attacked by Dominic. She focused back on the peacekeeper. Dominic spoke, "The offer still stands. We could bring this world to a kneel."

"I'm pretty happy with my current situation," Clarisse snapped. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Aquitaine fighting Vasicio. Somehow, the daughter of Aphrodite was holding her own. Clarisse focused back on her fight.

"What is there to be happy about? How many of your friends have died? How many more will die today?" Dominic asked. Clarisse wanted to focus on his attacks and not his words, but they had fallen into a pattern. It almost felt like more of a sparring match than a war. "How many more people will die because of the Olympians?"

"How many more will die if you actually manage to succeed in your plans?" Clarisse snapped back. Dominic smiled. His eyes suddenly widened, and he dodged past Clarisse's attack. He slipped past her. Clarisse turned and watched Dominic appear behind Aquitaine.

Clarisse turned and tried to call out a warning. Dominic stabbed his javelin through Aquitaine's back and out of her chest. He then brought his sword to Aquitaine's throat. Clarisse knew that Aquitaine had been a traitor, but damn it, the traitor also saved her ass.

Clarisse watched Aquitaine grab onto the blade with both of her hands, in an attempt to keep it from her throat. Clarisse took a deep breath and threw her sword. She watched the sword fly through the air and slam into the hilt of Dominic's sword. Part of the string was cut, and Dominic let out a loud gasp.

Aquitaine's pulled away, as Clarisse grabbed onto Dominic. She threw him backwards and grabbed onto his fallen sword. Clarisse grabbed her own sword and finished cutting the string. Her attention moved to Vasicio, who was laying on his back. Aquitaine's sword had been stabbed directly into his spine, and he was reaching out for a string.

Clarisse grabbed onto the string and cut it. She smirked as Vasicio stopped moving. Clarisse looked down at Dominic's body and spoke, "Just two?"

Clarisse turned towards Aquitaine. The member of the Sixth Legion was on her knees and coughing out blood. Clarisse knelt by her and spoke, "Hey. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Aquitaine whispered. She coughed out even more blood. Clarisse gently grabbed Aquitaine's shoulder. They heard the horn of barbarians calling for a retreat. "Tell the imperator I'm sorry."

"You're not dying," Sparta snapped. She seemed to appear next to them. Aquitaine slowly looked up and managed a gentle smile. Her mouth was full of blood. "There's no way I am letting you die Aquitaine!"

"We're proud of you, Sparta. Keep that temper of yours in check," Aquitaine whispered. Her breath came out as a wheeze. Clarisse swallowed painfully and stepped away from the two members of the Sixth Legion to allow them to say their goodbyes alone. Her gaze moved around the rest of the battlefield.

"You have to help her!" Sparta yelled. She turned angrily. Clarisse watched Sarah appear next to them. The demititan glanced around and then down at the bodies of the peacekeepers.

"My people are ready," Sarah wheezed. She hissed in pain and walked towards Aquitaine. "I think we need to pull back and let the barbarians retreat. We've got wounded and unconscious people everywhere. I can take her and let the others know."

"Are you sure that your people are up for this?" Clarisse demanded. She didn't like the fact that some of the demititans had donned the armor of some of the barbarians. The plan was for them to go back with the army and cause chaos. That was if they allowed the barbarians to retreat.

"I know they are. Look, she's need a doctor now," Sarah said. Clarisse finally nodded, even if she didn't like it. Sarah grabbed onto Aquitaine, and air folded around from the two. They disappeared from sight. Sparta took a shaky breath, and Clarisse called for the retreat.

She watched her army start to pull away and allow the barbarians to retreat. An angry sigh escaped her. Their ambush party had cut a decent chunk into the barbarians, but they did lose a chunk of their own. Some were asleep, others were dead, and there seemed to be a ton of injuries.

The only bright side was that Clarisse had killed two peacekeepers. She took a deep breath and forced herself to focus. Since they were allowing the barbarians to escape, that meant they were probably going with Clarisse's plan. It had a few additions courtesy on the demititans, but it would still mean the destruction of the barbarians.

Clarisse was tired of fighting a defensive war. That was why she was going to help their wounded and those affected by the child of Morpheus. From there, they would gather everyone they could and march straight to the barbarian camp. Hopefully, the demititans that were now disguised as barbarians would cause infighting that would make it impossible for the barbarians to defend themselves. By the end of the day, Clarisse wanted the grass to be soaked in barbarian blood.


	66. Light in the Darkness

Zara knew the darkness well. She remembered how it consumed her world and was the only thing that gave her comfort. Darkness meant that there was no one around who could hurt her. Darkness meant that the pain would stop for at least a few more hours. Darkness was her friend.

This darkness was different. It was as if she was in a fog. Her feet were on solid ground, but she could see nothing. There was no sounds, other than her own breathing. She remembered her last moments of consciousness. For a few moments, she could still feel Neith's heart in her hand. The only way to kill the evil was to remove its heart, and that was what she had done.

Now, there was darkness. Was this what awaited her at the end? Did Charon not take them across anymore? Were they not judged based on their deeds? Or, was her soul simply lost? Would Zara be forced in this darkness until it drove her to the point of insanity that it first saved her from?

Death never scared Zara. Her father ruled over death, and her powers even allowed her to control it. She had only killed one person before with her powers, but now, she had killed two. Neith deserved to die though. Who was she to keep secrets and also plan to kill those that were Zara's friends?

Zara closed her eyes and reopened them. She was sitting in a cabin. Sleeping bags were laid throughout the room, and there was a few bunk beds. Someone nudged her arm and spoke, "Are you getting ready for your quest, or are you going to chicken out?"

"I am ready," Zara answered. She gently ran a hand across her black sword and looked up at her friend. Michelle looked down at her and crossed her arms impatiently. The daughter of Ares was excited to go on her first quest. She didn't know how it would end.

"Don't be too concerned about the prophecy," Michelle said, with a wave of her hand. "You know how that old mummy gets. The spirit is just mad and throws out big, scary sentences. _Death will lose its light._ What kind of line is that?"

"You losers ready?" Another boy asked. Brendon stepped into the cabin and was giving them a look. "We can't just keep standing around. Let's go find this fabled sword that will kill the monster that has been stalking our camp."

Zara blinked again and found herself back in the darkness. She heard the voices of the men that took her. Zara couldn't understand what they were saying, but it scared her. The thick accent of one sent shivers down her spine. The lisp of a second made her sick to her stomach. Zara slowly sat down and buried her face in her hands.

"The girl is useless to us," the man with the thick accent said. He laughed, and heavy chains hit the ground. "They finally gave us permission to ramp up our efforts to find out information."

"I am still first," the one with the lisp said. Zara heard a door open, and she flinched. This couldn't be happening again. She closed her eyes and could feel the rough hands on her shoulder Zara remembered the two men that would spend the next few days torturing her for information that she didn't possess. She still remembered one holding her down and taunting her as the other one did what he wanted. When it became too much for Zara, her pain and anger had exploded into her powers, killing the man with the lisp. They left her alone after that.

Zara grabbed at her head and tried to ignore her own screams. Her breathing started to quicken, and she finally allowed her own scream to join that of her memories. Two hands grabbed her face, and Zara lashed out. Her fist hit something solid, and she scrambled away from her attacker.

"I'm here," a voice whispered. Zara opened her eyes and looked up at Theo. Her eyes moved around to all of the darkness that was around. Were they both dead? Was this their afterlife? Zara felt Theo help her stand. "We must leave soon. My lady, Eirene, sent me here to help you. I swear those demititans will never be able to hurt you again."

"Don't leave me," Zara whispered to Theo. She placed a hand to his face. He just smiled down at her, obviously unable to hear her. "Please don't leave me, Theo. I can't lose you."

"The gods did know you were here, but they didn't tell Camp Half-Blood. No one told us. Eirene saved me and told me. Gods, Zara. I am so sorry. I wish I had been there sooner. When they returned, I told them you weren't dead," Theo said. "I told them, but no one listened."

"It's not your fault, Theo. You didn't know," Zara whispered. Theo kissed her forehead. Zara allowed herself to be embraced by her best friend. "Please don't leave me. Don't die, Theo. You can't be dead."

"I'll never let them or anyone else hurt you again. I swear on the River Styx," Theo said. Zara closed her eyes tightly and took deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again, the memory of Theo was gone. Zara buried her face in her hands and cried. Her best friend was dead.

Zara cried until her throat hurt. She wiped her eyes and felt sick to her stomach. It was her fault that Theo died. It was her fault that Burza died. Everything that had happened to the peacekeepers was her fault. Zara closed her eyes again and reopened them. The darkness was gone.

A wave of tiredness hit Zara. It felt like she had been awake for a few days straight. She blinked a few times and stared down at the bed that she was laying on. Her hands were cuffed together, but it felt like she was otherwise unharmed. Zara slowly turned on her back and sat up.

It seemed like she was in some kind of infirmary. There was a few crates near her that probably held supplies, but if she craned her head, she could see plenty of full beds beyond the crates. Zara moved her legs and slowly made it to a sitting position.

"Don't," a woman ordered. Zara tensed and slowly looked at the woman that was standing over her. She knew that the woman was a doctor for the Sixth Legion. "You're exhausted and also a prisoner. You need to rest."

"Please don't hurt me," Zara began. The doctor looked at Zara and frowned. "I don't have any information for any of you. Please just leave me alone."

The doctor reached out towards Zara. The peacekeeper tensed and waiting for the clubbing blow that would send her into a world of pain. The doctor lowered her hand and spoke, "I was just going to check your vitals. The imperator ordered us to leave you unharmed."

"How long?" Zara asked. She looked around. It seemed like a majority of the beds were full. One bed in particular caught her attention. Reyna was laying on the bed and seemed to be having a conversation with a few of the leaders. She recognized Sarah and Annabeth. "And why?"

"You've only been asleep for a few hours," the doctor answered. Zara watched a door open, and Hylla stepped into the room. Hylla walked straight towards Reyna. There was a small smile on Reyna's face. "As for why the imperator wanted to spare you, the only one who knows is her."

"How bad is she hurt?" Zara asked. Her gaze moved back towards Reyna, and she felt guilt. It was all her fault. She tricked Reyna. The demigod actually trusted her. Reyna's left arm was in a sling, and her other arm rested behind her head. It seemed like she was having issues breathing properly, but the smile on her face only grew as she watched Hylla.

Hylla seemed like she was in the middle of lecturing her younger sister. She finally turned and looked directly at Zara. Any humor that Zara found in the situation was quickly lost. Hylla walked right past Zara and towards the doctor. She spoke, "Did she fight you about resting, Avaris?"

"Of course she did," Avaris replied. The two walked away from Zara's bed. "But, she didn't argue for long. I think the imperator realizes how badly injured she is. Her ribcage is shattered, and her arm is going to be out of commission for a week or two. We're lucky that infection didn't set in. Her jaw is fractured, and her concussion is severe. She cannot fight in this war."

"I know," Hylla muttered. She sighed angrily and glanced back at Reyna. "What about the rest of our army? I know those who were put to sleep are awake, and I was told the others got over their temporary madness. How many are injured?"

"Many are injured, but most of them can fight," Avaris answered. Her eyes narrowed, and she raised a finger to point. "Imperator, don't you dare say a word."

Zara glanced back at Reyna. It seemed like she had been about to answer a question, but Avaris' finger stopped her. The doctor walked towards Reyna and grabbed her face. Reyna winced as Avaris placed two hands to her jaw and started talking in rapid Latin.

Zara slowly laid back in the bed. Escape would be impossible. She was still exhausted from the usage of her powers, and she was pretty sure the doctor would grab her by the ear and drag her back to bed if she tried. Zara sighed tiredly and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, she was in a small room, having another dream.

"Gods, you're alive," Beleza said. Zara blinked and slowly looked at her friend. Beleza pulled her into a tight hug and rubbed Zara's back. "I found Theo's body and Neith's. How did they kill her?"

"I think Theo died to protect me," Zara whispered. She slowly pulled away from Beleza and looked up at her. "I killed Neith. She said that she was planning on killing me and then you. She also said that Reyna had saved her the trouble of killing Theo and Burza."

"What are you talking about?" Beleza asked. Zara looked down and told her friend about everything that had happened at the warehouse. Beleza remained quiet for all of it. She had always been a good listener and never interrupted.

When Zara finished her story, she let out another cry and buried her face in Beleza's shoulder. Beleza held her close and rubbed her back. She spoke, "It is not your fault, Zara. We can still salvage this."

"How many more of us have to die to realize that this isn't going to work?" Zara snapped. She pulled away from Beleza and glared. "We are not able to take the thrones and make sure the world is fair. We're just making more and more wars and violence. It's time to stop."

"We find a few minor gods to fill the void," Beleza said. She seemed to have an answer for everything that could come up. None of her plans ever seemed to work though. "Nothing else matters until I know you are safe."

"I'm at Camp Jupiter," Zara replied. Beleza looked at her with wide eyes. "They haven't hurt me, yet. Their doctor told me that Reyna ordered for me to be left alone. I don't know why."

"The only thing that matters is that you are safe," Beleza said. She grabbed Zara's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "You are in the middle of their camp. You have to use your powers to kill the leaders and take them out. We can then finish with Camp Jupiter and move to Olympus."

Zara stared up at Beleza. Her friend looked dead serious, and there was a hungry look in her eyes. Zara looked down and spoke, "I can't."

"I know you're exhausted from taking Neith out, but you can do this. The leaders will never suspect it. We'll only have to worry about the champions after this. Without leadership, we will easily overrun them," Beleza stated.

Zara looked down. While she said that she couldn't kill the leaders, the actual truth was that she wouldn't. Zara was tired of fighting. She regretted going with this plan, and most of her friends had died trying to follow it.

"We can wake you up and have you do it now or maybe wait a few hours. It is up to you," Beleza said. Zara looked at the ground and didn't say a word. "Charles can get a lock on where you are from your dream. I can help you."

"I can't," Zara repeated. Beleza looked at her. Zara looked up. "I'm sorry, but I won't do this. The leaders trusted me enough to allow me to live, and they aren't hurting me. I can't breach that faith again."

"This is a war," Beleza insisted. Even though she was dreaming, Zara could still feel the effects of charmspeak trying to reach out towards her. She stared at Beleza. "We must do things that we do not want to."

"Okay," Zara said. Beleza kissed her forehead and smiled at her. The smile didn't reach her eyes, and she also looked wary. Zara looked down and didn't say a word. The dream ended a moment later, and Zara's eyes snapped open. She groaned and buried her face in her hands.

Zara turned on her side, and after a minute of two, she slowly sat up. She lowered her hands and realized that someone was standing over her. A look up showed that it was Hylla. The queen of the Amazons spoke, "Get up."

"I'm sorry," Zara began. She flinched as Hylla grabbed her and pulled her to her feet. Zara was shoved forward and forced to walk. Hylla led her towards the bed that Reyna was laying in. Avaris still had both hand to Reyna's jaw, and she didn't look too happy.

"You can talk for five minutes and no more. After that, you will let me ice your jaw and stop trying to fight me," Avaris ordered. She lowered her hands. Reyna winced and placed a hand to her jaw. "I'm going to check on my patients. I will be back in five minutes. Understood?"

"I've been the model patient," Reyna began. Avaris gave her a look and then stepped away. Reyna looked at Zara and seemed to study her. Zara looked down from the piercing gaze. "Why lie to me?"

"I can't turn my back on my family," Zara answered. Another smirk came to Reyna's face, and she shook her head. She stared at the ceiling and seemed to be lost in thought. "They are my friends and family. How am I suppose to turn my back on them?"

"One way to do it is by tearing out their heart," Reyna replied. Zara looked down. "Look Zara, I don't want to hurt you. At the same time, I can't just let you leave. We both know I can't keep you prisoner."

"What are you going to do then?" Zara whispered. She tensed as she watched Annabeth lift a string: Zara's string. The only thing Zara wanted to do was reach out and grab the string. She also knew that Hylla would break her in half if she did.

"I'm going to give this to Atropos," Reyna replied. Zara stared and shook her head. That would be a death sentence. "It must go back where it belongs."

"You're giving my string back too, right?" Hylla asked. Reyna nodded. Her free hand was gripping another string. Zara realized it belonged to Hylla, and that was why Reyna seemed so happy. She had insured that her sister would be safe from the other peacekeepers. Annabeth handed Zara's string off to Reyna. "What are we going to do with Zara until you talk to Atropos?"

Reyna slipped both of the strings into her pocket and slowly rubbed her jaw. She seemed to think about it, but it also seemed like she was more focused on her pain. Reyna spoke, "I don't know. Just don't hurt her."

"I won't, unless she tries something," Hylla said. Her tone made it seem like she wished Zara would try something. Zara remained silent and looked at the ground. "I'll take you back to your bed and get you some food."

Hylla pulled Zara away. In the background, she could hear Sarah and Annabeth talking about war plans. Zara spoke, "I'm sorry about what happened to Reyna."

"Don't talk about her," Hylla hissed. She grabbed Zara's arm tightly. "It is your fault that she is hurt like this. Don't think for one second that I will forgive you. If it wasn't for Reyna, I swear to the gods that I would be doing much worse to you than you did to her."

Zara looked down and felt herself being shoved in a bed. She tensed and waited for Hylla to make a move. Instead, Hylla walked away. Zara sat up and slowly looked around. Without her string, there was no way she could kill the leaders, if she even wanted to. What choice did she have though?

The rest of the peacekeepers were so focused on their mission that they would fight to the death for it. Zara couldn't turn her back on her family, and if her string was given to Atropos, there was no telling what would happen. Atropos wouldn't just allow Zara to walk away.

Zara looked at the ceiling and sighed sadly. She closed her eyes. All she could do now was wait. If the demigods kept up their pattern of their behavior, they would keep playing a defensive game. That meant the peacekeepers would make the first move, and from there, Zara would do her best to help.


	67. Molon Labe

"Six of us remain," Beleza began. She looked around the tent at her fellow peacekeepers. Pia was staring at the ground and had tears in her eyes. Asher was surrounded by bottles. He had drunk enough alcohol to kill two men. Charles and Hilk were both staring numbly. Their sixth, Zara, was trapped at Camp Jupiter.

Beleza closed her eyes and thought of those they had lost. Dominic and Vasicio, their two strongest fighters, died in their first assault on Camp Jupiter. Theo died protecting Zara, and Neith died because she tried to betray them and make her own bid for power. Beleza knew they could never trust that woman.

Camila died following through with Neith's insane plan. Then, there was Burza. Pain hit Beleza's heart, and she took a deep breath. Now was not the time to grieve. She had to harden her heart and focus on handling business.

Throughout her entire life, Beleza had been told to never reveal the cards that she held in her hands. It didn't matter if she was dealing with an assassination target or even just a friend she hadn't seen since high school. She never revealed her cards, until it was time to play them.

Neith revealed their trump card too soon. If they had waited for the perfect moment, it would have taken Reyna by complete surprise and forced her to make a rash decision. Instead, they didn't have Kronos' sword or Hylla's string. They lost half of their people.

"This is a lost cause," Hilk stated. Everyone looked at him. Beleza knew that the thought was running through the mind of everyone, but no one had been willing to say it out loud. "We had this planned out perfectly. Where did it go wrong?"

"It went wrong the second that Burza died," Asher muttered. He rubbed his face tiredly. "I think it is time that we cut out losses and leave. We can send the barbarians on a final assault and just slip out. We have our strings, so we can do whatever we want."

"The gods won't let us rest," Pia said. She kept her gaze on the ground. "They know that we are still out there, and they will hunt us down. There is no going back."

"The gods will be too busy with their war with the minor gods and picking up the pieces. We'll be able to slip away," Hlik argued. "They won't be able to find us."

"They will have all of eternity to find us," Charles argued. He shivered. "If they want to find us, they will. It's just a matter of how long it takes, and the amount of punishment you receive is based on how badly you pissed them off. I will not let them take me again. I would rather die fighting."

"I am not leaving Zara behind," Beleza interrupted. She crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter if we leave this plan behind or not. I am not leaving without Zara."

"None of us are," Asher said. He stood and took a deep breath. "I say we send the barbarians to attack Camp Jupiter. We then sneak in and find Zara. As long as they haven't hurt her, we turn right around and leave."

"Agreed," Pia said. She closed her eyes tiredly. Pia had spent the last few hours performing the funeral rites for their fallen friends. For some reason, the demigods had allowed them to retreat. Something about it bothered Beleza, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She knew that the barbarian army had been trapped, so why were they allowed to leave?

"Zara isn't getting left behind," Charles said. Hilk nodded his agreement. "Sneaking into Camp Jupiter is risky though. Is there anything else that we can do?"

"We could try to negotiate, but we don't have anything to offer," Beleza said. She sighed and paced back and forth. It had been a hour since she talked to Zara in the dream. Zara seemed scared and hesitant to do anything. She wouldn't kill the leaders, despite the fact that it would only take a snap of her fingers.

"We still have a small bit of the army near the catapults," Charles said. He played with his pants. Beleza nodded. They had retreated so fast that they decided to leave the siege engines behind. The catapults were too valuable and had been taken by some of their barbarians away from their main camp. They could not lose those catapults.

"We should focus on sneaking in," Hilk said. He stood. "Beleza, would you be able to use charmspeak to order one of the leaders to bring Zara to us? If we get them alone, could you convince them?"

"Of course I can," Beleza said, and she almost felt a little insulted. "We just have to get close to Camp Jupiter and find one of the leaders. We should probably get moving. Ten minutes?"

They all heard a loud yell, and the sounds of fighting. Beleza's eyes widened. Had the demigods attacked them? Why did none of the barbarian lookouts tell them? Beleza slipped out of the tent and looked around. There was no attacking army, but their army was fighting each other.

Two of the clans were in the middle of fist fighting. Some of the other clans were trying to pull them apart, but it was only causing more argument and minor fights. A barbarian was on the ground with a knife in their chest. Beleza's eyes narrowed.

"Enough!" Beleza yelled. She allowed charmspeak to complete wrap around her words. "All of you stop now! You should be fighting the demigods. Not yourselves. All of you stop fighting and tell me who started this."

Valk, that stupid, ill tempered barbarian, stepped forward. She had a dagger buried in her shoulder, but it didn't seem to be bothering her. Valk looked at another barbarian who was unconscious on the ground. Beleza spoke, "You know we must be united."

"I know that Eirene is the one who recruited me, and I haven't seen her in a long time. I only follow you because my leader told me to. No one ever told us that we had to play nice with these weaklings," Valk said.

"You are the real monsters," another barbarian snapped. Beleza glared. She could feel the power of her charmspeak falling away. The large group meant it was harder for her to wrap her words around each of their minds. She took a deep breath and placed a hand to her belt. Her fingers rested on her string. "You eat our families."

"And, you need a better diet. You taste horrible," an older man said. He pulled the dagger out of Valk's shoulder and licked it clean. Beleza looked away in disgust. Pia seemed to pale at the thought of the germs that were being shared. "Why does a Helsing member have a Barron knife?"

That was when the camp exploded, figuratively and literally, into chaos. Barbarians randomly lashed out and started to fight each other. A few of the tents exploded. It was a minor explosion but was still strong enough to throw anyone standing off of their feet.

Beleza heard an explosion, and she was thrown forward. She hit the ground hard and cursed in pain. Beleza slowly rolled onto her back and heard the sounds of fighting. She sat up and looked around. Some of the barbarians were fighting each other, but it seemed like a majority of them had turned their attention to something else: the demigods.

Why were the demigods attacking them? The demigods had always played a defensive war. This was against their plans to just go out there and fight. Beleza stumbled to her feet and looked for her fellow peacekeepers. Pia was near her and slowly making it to her feet.

Charles had a hand held out and had his eyes closed tightly. It seemed like he was trying to force the demigods into sleep and a dream that they couldn't wake easily from. Asher was on his hands and knees. He wasn't hurt though.

Asher chanted softly, either creating vines or temporary madness. Hilk glanced at Beleza and nodded. Then, he grabbed his sword and plunged into the battlefield. Beleza grabbed her own sword and slowly moved her shoulders. Her entire body ached from being slammed into the ground, but she had to help her friends. It didn't seem like her charmspeak would be able to help them now.

"Beleza, you need to go," Pia said. Beleza slowly looked at the doctor. "Go to Camp Jupiter and find Zara. We'll get out of here on our own."

"I'm not leaving you," Beleza argued. Pia grabbed her arm and gave her a look. After a moment, Beleza nodded. She grabbed Pia's shoulder. "I'll find Zara and get her out of Camp Jupiter. Have Hilk send us an Iris message tomorrow around this time."

"We will," Pia promised. Beleza nodded and pulled away. She turned and ran from the battlefield. As she ran, she glanced back. It seemed like Camp Jupiter had sent most of their army to attack them. The initial assault had taken them by surprise, but thanks to the powers of her fellow peacekeepers and the sheer number of barbarians, the tables were starting to turn.

Charles had managed to put some of the demigods to sleep. It seemed like he was using his powers in small groups, so it would be harder to wake the others. Asher used vines to trap the legs of demigods or even trip them up as they were fighting. The barbarians slammed straight into the distracted demigods.

Beleza took a shaky breath and continued to run. It would take her about ten minutes to run to Camp Jupiter, but there was no telling who was inside. She didn't know how much of the demigod army stayed behind to guard it.

Beleza suddenly pivoted and took off towards where they left the catapults. She could use those catapults as a distraction to sneak into Camp Jupiter, or she could use them to hit the demigod army from above. Or, she could do both.

A smile came to Beleza's face. Most of their catapults were to be aimed at the demigods. She would use the remaining few to fire at Camp Jupiter, but she had to find the perfect target. Destroying a few temples or a culturally important building was not enough. No. Beleza was going to find where Camp Jupiter had their infirmary, and she was going to use the catapults to destroy it.


	68. Gods Must Be Strong

Arcadia slowly looked around the dark room that she was standing in. She didn't think she was unconscious. It was more like the sheer pain had caused everything to turn into darkness, and a small part of her brain forced her inside the dream of someone else. Arcadia looked around the room and frowned.

There wasn't much to the room, other than a metal table and a chair. Dried blood covered the table, and a bloody knife rested on the table. Arcadia spoke, "Well, this is weird."

"It's where I lost the full use of my hand," Reyna said. Arcadia turned around and stared at her imperator. Reyna looked at her and smiled slightly. Arcadia rushed forward and pulled her imperator into a tight hug. Reyna hugged her back. "I saw you on Olympus. You were hurt."

"Eris managed to get her hands on my father's lightning bolt," Arcadia replied. She could remember the white hot pain that swelled in her chest and ran throughout her body. Arcadia shivered. "She also got tackled off of Mount Olympus by Eirene. It was pretty funny."

"You have a weird sense of humor," Reyna said, but there was a small smile on her face. She sighed and walked towards the table. Reyna stared down at all of the blood. "This is the place where my life went downhill. If I didn't lose the full use of my hand here, I wouldn't have had to allow Kronos to use me as a vessel."

"It's okay," Arcadia began. She grabbed Reyna's shoulder. The imperator sighed tiredly. "How is the war going?"

"I'm not sure," Reyna began. Arcadia frowned. "I know that the barbarians walked right into a trap we set, but thanks to the powers of the peacekeepers, we quickly lost a good portion of our army to sleep, temporary madness, and injuries. We let the barbarians retreat, but a few demititans donned the armor of barbarians, and they are going to attack from within. Our army is going to attack at the same time, but I'm not sure if that has even happened yet."

"I trusted Zara, and I shouldn't have," Reyna said. She looked down. "Zara led me right into an ambush, but Annabeth saved me. I'm hurt pretty badly, but I have Hylla's string and Kronos' sword. That is the only thing that matters."

"How mad is Avaris?" Arcadia asked. There was a small smile on her face. Reyna smirked and shook her head. "Did she yell at you or just give you a disappointed look?"

"I think she put sleeping pills in my drink," Reyna replied. Arcadia laughed. "Avaris is hurt though. She's still pushing herself to help the others. I should be out there helping everyone fight."

"Imperator, you have pushed yourself so much these last few months. It's time that you let others do the heavy lifting, especially if you're hurt," Arcadia said. Reyna sighed and placed a hand to the table. "Why dream of this place?"

"I have nightmares of this place. I remember what happened here and how it has ruined everything for me," Reyna answered. She shook her head."It's the precursor for my other nightmares."

"I'm sorry," Arcadia began. She tensed and felt another presence. Reyna seemed to sense it as well and tensed. They both turned around. Atropos stared at both of them. Arcadia took a step backwards and stared at the cold eyes of the Fate.

Reyna relaxed and sat back on the table. The only thing Arcadia wanted to do was push herself into the wall and disappear from sight. The Fate completely unsettled her, no matter how much she tried to hide it. Reyna spoke, "Atropos, what do you need?"

"We must talk," Atropos replied. Reyna frowned and looked confused. "Did your mother ever tell you what she did with your string?"

"My sister did," Reyna replied. She looked down for a moment and seemed to be lost in a sea of emotion. "Hylla told me that our mother stole our strings when Hylla fell under charmspeak. She also said that they were returned."

"I doubt your mother told your sister how long it actually took for her to return the string," Atropos said. Reyna remained quiet. Arcadia slowly walked towards the imperator and gently grabbed her shoulder. Reyna seemed to relax.

"From what she told Hylla, it was after you gave me my new sword," Reyna began. Atropos shook her head and almost seemed sad for a moment. "How long then?"

"It wasn't until after you rescued her from Enyo," Atropos replied. Reyna looked up and stared. She seemed to be lost in thought, and a myriad of emotions crossed her face. A frown came to her face, and it seemed like she settled on anger. "Calm yourself, champion."

Arcadia still remembered the story that Reyna had told her. Enyo had captured Bellona and taken her to Circe's island. Hylla had been gravelly injured in the rescue attempt, and Reyna went to Rome to find water from a spring that would heal her sister from the poison that ravaged her body. It also would have allowed Reyna to heal her injured hand, but she cared more about her sister than herself.

"Did she return Hylla's string before then?" Reyna asked. Atropos shook her head. Reyna's jaw quivered in anger. "So, all those hoops that I jumped through for Juturna's string was all for nothing! Hylla was never going to die in the first place!"

"No. She wasn't," Atropos replied. Arcadia felt Reyna completely tense underneath her grip, and she started to shake from anger. Reyna stood and pulled away from Arcadia. "The only one who knew was Bellona."

"She told me there was three tasks," Reyna said. Her voice shook in anger. "I thought Hylla was going to die, so I retrieved that fucking water to save my sister. I could have healed my hand instead, and I would have never been forced to allow Kronos to take me as a vessel. Why didn't she tell me?"

"I don't know," Atropos replied. Reyna slammed his fist into the table and let out a yell of anger. She grabbed the chair and flung it into the wall. "Your mother stole your sister's string from us and did not return it until after you retrieved the water. I do not know if she feared what would happen or if someone was whispering in her ear."

"Your mother was just trying to protect you," Arcadia began. She gently grabbed Reyna's arm. The imperator shook her head. "Ouranos had plenty of people working for him that could have stolen Hylla's string or your string if they found out. That is why she acted like everything was normal."

Reyna didn't say a word. She just stared at the table and finally spoke, "So, you did cut into my arm and gave me traces of my fate to test me, to see if I would be a good champion?"

"Partially," Atropos replied. She walked towards Reyna and stood next to her. "I knew that your fate was strong. I knew you would greatly impact this world, so I had to keep an eye on you. I possessed a mortal soothsayer that Circe knew of and used her to keep track of you. I didn't realize she would have cut so deeply."

"You are fateless," Reyna began. Her eyes narrowed, and some of her anger seemed to dissipate. "That was because I didn't have my string, wasn't it?"

"Yet full of it, "Atropos continued. "I knew that you were fated to play an important role. That is why your string being stolen was disastrous. When a demigod has their string, they become untethered from reality. They become like a god. That is why the Olympians feared you."

"Why tell me now?" Reyna asked. She looked down at the ground and shook her head. Atropos looked up and almost seemed sad. "Why didn't my mother tell me?"

"I don't think she wanted you to find out, but I do not want you to blame yourself for what is going to happen. It is not your fault," Atropos answered. Reyna looked up in confusion. Arcadia heard an explosion and quickly looked around. Reyna tensed and looked around as well.

"Is that coming from Camp Jupiter or Mount Olympus?" Reyna asked. She glanced at Arcadia with a look that told her to be safe. Arcadia returned the look.

"Both," Atropos replied. Arcadia exchanged another look with Reyna. The imperator seemed overwhelmed by the words. "Reyna, do not blame yourself for what is going to happen. You do not have full strength in your hand, and it is not your fault."

"What do you mean?" Reyna demanded. She looked like she wanted to say more, but Arcadia saw a bright light, and the words became muffled. She closed her eyes, and when she reopened them, she was on Olympus.

Arcadia quickly tried to sit up, but someone kept her down. She stared up at Apollo. He gave her a beaming smile and spoke, "Don't move. I'm still trying to heal you. It's been a long time since someone took the master bolt to the chest and didn't immediately burn up."

I feel so honored," Arcadia muttered. She groaned softly and still felt the pulsating pain that was shooting throughout her body. It was the worst pain she had ever experienced. Another face appeared next to Apollo's. "Where am I?"

"The throne room," Artemis replied. She glared down at Arcadia. "What happened to Eris? Where is Eirene?"

"Eirene tackled Eris off of Mount Olympus," Arcadia replied. She blinked a few times and groaned softly. Arcadia remembered that Lupa was the one who dragged her away from Mount Olympus and back towards the throne room.

"Why would Eirene do that?" Artemis asked. She didn't sound convinced. Apollo just hummed as he healed Arcadia. There was a loud explosion at the door, following by many more rapid ones. Hecate rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers. The door to the throne room opened, and Ares fell inside. He quickly closed the door behind him.

"Should have kept it closed," Hephaestus muttered. Hecate smirked and snapped her fingers again. She chanted softly. It seemed like Hecate had managed to restore the barrier around the throne room. It also seemed like a majority of the Olympians were in the throne room, so Arcadia was convinced that the minor gods had retreated, if only for a short bit.

"Eirene stated that Eris and her were working together. She could have felt guilty about how things have spiraled out of control," Rhea said. Apollo stood, and the two helped Arcadia into a sitting position. "The war below grows dire."

Arcadia nodded. She knew the explosion on her end was Ares trying to get into the throne room. The explosion on Reyna's end was probably a lot worse. Arcadia looked down at the ground. She wished that she had stayed by her imperator's side. "What are we going to do to help?"

"The Olympians can't go anywhere. We must protect our thrones," Artemis stated. It seemed like she was thinking of her next words, and a frown came to her face. "I hold no love for Reyna, but I do know her failing will mean the deaths of many demigods. Camp Jupiter needs backup."

"Agreed," Arcadia muttered. She rested her face in both of her hands. Everything felt like it was on absolute fire. Arcadia made a mental note to never be hit by Zeus' lightning bolt again. Arcadia slowly looked up at the Olympians. "I can't go. I'm needed here."

"You were needed, but you helped us remove a snake in the grass," Rhea said. Arcadia spat ichor out and shook her head. She didn't help with anything. All she did was get shot by lightning.

"You delayed Eris and helped save your parents," Rhea said. She studied Arcadia. "Now, Camp Jupiter needs you. The barrier that surrounds Camp Half-Blood must be destroyed. We can create it anew, but that won't matter if we can't destroy the spell that the peacekeepers used."

"How am I suppose to do that?" Arcadia asked. She groaned as Rhea and Apollo helped her to her feet. She took a shaky step forward and stumbled. Her knees felt like they were going to give out at any moment, but Arcadia had to be strong.

"The serum is very powerful and old magic," Hecate stated. Her eyes moved to Arcadia's back. It took a moment for Arcadia to slowly reach behind her and grab the sword that was behind her back. She forgot that she had even grabbed it from the imperator. "The serum is not of our world, and that sword isn't either."

"I know," Arcadia whispered. She studied the black sword. It felt wrong and almost evil. She just wanted to know what world the sword was from. Rhea grabbed Arcadia's arm. Arcadia blinked, and she found herself outside of Camp Half-Blood.

Arcadia stared up at the barrier. It was much more blue than before and almost impossible to see through. Arcadia spoke, "I'm not that well versed in magic. Are you?"

"No," Rhea said. Arcadia sighed and placed a hand to the barrier. She slowly grabbed the sword and unsheathed it. Arcadia studied the runes that seemed to catch the sunlight when she turned it a certain way. Supposedly, the sword could kill the peacekeepers. Perhaps, it was made of magic.

"I would cover your eyes," Arcadia stated. Rhea looked at her and opened her mouth. Arcadia stabbed the sword directly into the barrier. It resisted at first but slowly cut through. Arcadia took a deep breath and grabbed onto the sword's handle with both hands. She started to pull the sword to the right. It didn't cut through the barrier, but the sword did start to bend at the blade.

Rhea grabbed the sword handle as well. Together, the two jerked the sword to the right, and it snapped. Arcadia turned and tackled Rhea to the ground, expecting an explosion. Instead, she heard a small pop. Arcadia looked up and watched a black mist spread from the two halves of the sword. The mist latched onto the barrier and slowly traveled throughout it. As the mist traveled, it seemed to eat away the barrier.

Arcadia watched the rest of the barrier fall away. She took a shaky breath and felt weak from the use of the sword. Arcadia hoped that the imperator wouldn't need the sword. Rhea spoke, "You can get off of me now, Arcadia."

"Right. Sorry," Arcadia began. She slowly made it to her feet and held out her hand. Rhea took it, and Arcadia helped Rhea to her feet. The goddess heard footsteps and turned. Percy stared at where the barrier had been and slowly held out a hand to pass through air, as if he couldn't believe the barrier was actually destroyed.

"You destroyed it," Percy began. Arcadia nodded. Percy looked back at Camp Half-Blood and nodded. "What's going on at Camp Jupiter?"

"I don't know," Arcadia replied. Percy looked at her and frowned. "I was helping them on Olympus. Rhea told me the situation was dire."

"They are going to be overwhelmed soon," Rhea stated. "You must gather the campers. We will head to Camp Jupiter immediately."

Arcadia nodded her agreement. She wanted nothing more than to just head to Camp Jupiter at that very moment, but she needed to help Rhea. Transporting a large group of demigods halfway across the country could get tricky sometimes, and they really couldn't afford any mistakes. Arcadia glanced up at the sky and spoke, "I'm coming, imperator."


	69. Caedite Eos

Over the past few months, Hylla had gotten use to fighting barbarians. It was almost second nature, but she was really starting to miss fighting monsters. Most monsters that they fought weren't smart enough to tell left from right. They just wanted to kill any demigod they saw, which made them predictable.

Predictable monsters fell into a pattern. It was a pattern that most demigods studied and memorized. A hellhound wouldn't magically gain the ability to spit poison, so they never fell out of their pattern. Barbarians were human, and that made them different. They could think about what they were going to do and actively change their strategy. There was also a few of them that seemed to spit poison, and Hylla really didn't want to deal with that today.

Hylla threw a barbarian over her shoulder, and Kinzie slit their throat before they hit the ground. Kinzie spoke, "This isn't going so well."

"I know," Hylla said. She watched Kinzie slip past an attack, and Hylla stabbed the barbarian in the chest. Kinzie pulled the barbarian off of the knife and threw him backwards. Hylla looked around and let out a soft curse. Kinzie was right. Things were not going well at all.

The initial assault worked out well enough. The demititans that were disguised as barbarians had caused a ton of chaos at the back of the barbarian line. Attacking the front allowed the demigods to take a quick advantage, but they lost that advantage even quicker, thanks to the peacekeepers.

Some of their numbers had just passed out on their feet. Others had fallen into temporary madness. The few children of Bacchus the demigods had were trying to counter the powers of the peacekeeper. There was another peacekeeper that managed to get slip in and out of the barbarian line. Whenever he attacked someone, it was like they couldn't follow his movements. They also seemed to attack too soon or too late, as if he was manipulating what they were seeing.

Hylla frowned and focused on attacking the barbarians. Kinzie was at her side, and together, they were cutting through the barbarians. The two had fought alongside each other for years now, and they knew everything about their fighting styles. Hylla knew she could trust Kinzie to watch her back.

Something suddenly wrapped around Hylla's legs. She looked down to see that vines snaked around her knees. The vines suddenly pulled her legs out from under her. She hit the ground hard and lost one of her knives. Hylla gripped her remaining knife and cut at the vines that kept her legs trapped.

Hylla watched the vines fall to the ground. She glared at them and looked around for the peacekeeper. He still had both hands to the ground and didn't seem like he was targeting her specifically. Hylla stood and looked at Kinzie. Her wife was on her hands and knees, but she was gripping her sword. Hylla quickly moved to Kinzie's side and spoke, "Are you okay?"

Kinzie tensed and slowly looked up at Hylla. There was a a cloudy, glazed look in her eyes. Hylla cursed and scrambled backwards. She barely avoided the sword that tried to take her head off. Kinzie attacked her without hesitation.

Hylla dodged the attacks and became locked into battle with her wife. Most of the demigods that were hit with temporary madness thanks to the child of Dionysus were attacking the grass. Some of them were attacking thin air. Of course, Kinzie would be one of the few that thought her friends were actually enemies.

Hylla blocked another attack and took a step back. From an outside view, it should have been an easy fight. Hylla was the daughter of a war goddess. Kinzie was not. It should have been an easy victory for Hylla, but Kinzie knew everything about her. The two sparred together every single day, and Hylla didn't have any secret moves that her wife didn't know about.

"You have to snap out of this," Hylla said. She wouldn't hurt Kinzie, even if it killed her. Hylla blocked all of her wife's attacks and really hoped that Kinzie didn't hide any moves from her. She glanced around the battlefield and saw that another demigod was notching arrows and firing every few seconds. Each arrow seemed to hit the mark of someone's joint. The demigod was trying to cripple them.

It was obvious who the peacekeepers were, but the peacekeepers were nearly untouchable. That demigod with the bow seemed to dance around the barbarians as she fired. No one got near the peacekeeper who was creating temporary madness. Another one stood near the back of the line and was putting demigods to sleep. The fourth still darted around as well, seemingly reflecting light wherever he went.

Hylla focused back on Kinzie. She stayed on the defensive, unwilling to attack her wife. She dodged most of the attacks and blocked what she couldn't. Hopefully, Kinzie would tire herself out. The two fought for minutes, and Kinzie didn't let up once.

Hylla finally caught Kinzie's sword on her knife and twisted the sword out of her hand. Kinzie brought her other hand to Hylla's throat, and Hylla stepped backwards. She felt her wife's foot catch hers and knock her feet out from under her.

As Hylla hit the ground, she watched Kinzie bring a half open hand towards her throat. Her sword appeared in her hands. Hylla winced as the tip of the sword appeared against her throat. Kinzie moved the sword forward, and Hylla closed her eye tightly, waiting for the sword to go into her throat.

The sword suddenly moved from her throat. Hylla opened her eyes and watched her wife fall to the ground. Arcadia pinned Kinzie and placed two hands to her temple. Kinzie tried to fight, but her eyes slowly closed. Arcadia stood and winced in pain. She held a hand out to Hylla.

Hylla took the hand and was pulled to her feet. She looked around, hearing war cries. A small smile came to her face as she watched the demigods from Camp Half-Blood smash into the barbarian army. On the other side, the Hunters of Artemis attacked.

"How?" Hylla asked. She watched their army slowly circle the barbarians, leaving a small outlet for them to run. Hylla knelt by Kinzie and studied her.

"Well, I destroyed the barrier to Camp Half-Blood. It's not the first time, right?" Arcadia asked. It sounded like she was in terrible pain. Hylla glanced up and saw that the peacekeepers were surrounded. They weren't being given a chance to escape. They would be incapacitated soon.

The appearance of the Greek demigods and Hunters had turned the tides of the battle in their favor. The smile on Hylla's face grew. Soon, the barbarians would retreat, or they would be destroyed. The war would be done, and hopefully, there would be peace.

Arcadia suddenly tensed. She turned around and stared. Hylla heard the explosion a moment later. She turned around and stared at the smoke that came from Camp Jupiter. Hylla went to stand, but Arcadia grabbed her arm.

"Where is the imperator?" Arcadia asked. Hylla glanced up at her and then back at the smoke. "Stay. I will find her."

"I think the smoke is coming from where we have our makeshift infirmary," Hylla began. She looked down. "We left Zara there."

"Stay," Arcadia repeated, and she started to glow brightly. Hylla looked down at Kinzie. She gently cradled her wife, and her gaze moved back towards Camp Jupiter. The smoke that rose from it only caused a pit to form in her gut. It was a mistake to allow Zara to live and to leave her in the infirmary. They should have taken care of her.

Kinzie suddenly gasped and tried to pull away. Hylla allowed her to and placed a hand to her knife. Kinzie looked up at her. It seemed like her eyes were clear, and hopefully, she was over the temporary madness. Kinzie hugged Hylla tightly and spoke, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Hylla whispered. She hugged Kinzie back and kissed her head. "It all okay. It wasn't your fault. Just take a deep breath for me please. We have to finish this fight and make it back to Camp Jupiter."

Hylla's eyes glanced back to the smoke. What if there wasn't a Camp Jupiter to go back to? How could they have trusted Zara? How had the peacekeeper been able to cause an explosion? She was being guarded by two members of the Sixth Legion, and she didn't have her string.

"Please be okay," Hylla whispered softly. She slowly stood and helped Kinzie stand. Kinzie turned around and seemed to notice the smoke. She looked back at Hylla and seemed like she wanted to say something. Hylla shook her head and just stared. The only thing she could do was hope that her little sister was okay.


	70. The World Will Burn

They always said that waiting for death was peaceful. If you knew it was coming, all you had to do was close your eyes and let it take you. This waiting was not peaceful though. If Zara closed her eyes, she would just be back in the darkness that would not take her. It only wanted to consume her and drive her back into a very bad place. She would not go back there.

Zara closed her eyes. Her string was out of her hands. It was in the pocket of a demigod that she had betrayed. Reyna would give the string to Atropos, and from there, Zara didn't know what would happen. She might die. She might not. Zara wasn't sure what would happen, and that scared her. Would she live, or would she die? If she died, which level of the inferno would she get?

Would the Fates cut her string? Would they hand her off to the Olympians? Zara took a shaky breath and forced her eyes open. Her eyes moved around the makeshift infirmary and focused on the two guards that were by her bed. Both were members of the Sixth Legion, and neither of them looked too happy with her.

Zara moved her gaze towards Avaris. The doctor was standing over Sarah and changing the bandage around her stomach. Sarah had both hands pressed against her face and was tensed in pain. Fresh blood trickled from the stomach wound.

"A few more seconds," Avaris promised. She gently cleaned the wound and poured unicorn powder on it. Sarah cried out in pain and hit the bed with one hand. She bit her other hand, hard enough to draw blood. "You need to rest, Sarah. You cannot keep using air travel."

"It saved the life of one of yours. You should be happy," the demititan doctor commented. He stood a few bed away from Zara and was bandaging a demigod.

"I am happy that a life was saved, Collins. It does not matter if it is demititan or demigod. A life saved is a life earned," Avaris said. Collins looked down and sighed. Avaris didn't even look at him. She finished bandaging Sarah's stomach. "No more air travel for the next few days."

"That's an order from both of us," Collins said. Sarah didn't say a word, but the faintest smile came to her face. She slowly sat up, with help from Avaris. Sarah slowly stood, and she walked out of the infirmary even slower. The infirmary was silent for a few moments, until Collins sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I am not the enemy here, Collins. I only care to save lives," Avaris said. She turned towards Collins. The two stared at each other, until Avaris suddenly turned. "Don't you dare, Aquitaine. You are not going anywhere with that chest wound."

"I have to help," Aquitaine began. She was in the bed next to Zara's, and she looked like absolute hell. Her face was pale, and there bandages peeking out from underneath her shirt. Zara remembered the demigod being dragged into the infirmary by Sarah. Aquitaine had Dominic's javelin firmly lodged in her chest, and Avaris had barely saved her.

"You are not going to help," Avaris snapped. She walked towards Aquitaine and glared. "Your leg and back are barely holding together as is. The chest wound almost killed you. If you think you are going to get out of bed, you are wrong."

Zara glanced around at the rest of the infirmaries. There was about thirty demigods in beds. A few with minor injuries were walking around and checking on their friends.

Could Zara use her powers to kill these peoples and then the leaders? That was what her friends wanted, but Zara couldn't justify it to herself. How could she just murder demigods that were trying to defend their home? Murdering the leaders was a necessary evil, but the rest of the demigods did not need to die.

Zara's eyes moved towards the demigod that held her string. Reyna was asleep and almost looked peaceful, but that was probably due to the fact that Avaris had drugged her water. Zara watched the doctor crush up medicine and put it in the small cup of water. Avaris demanded that Reyna drink it, and when the demigod did, she quickly fell asleep. Reyna needed the sleep though.

Guilt started to spread throughout Zara's chest. She could see herself in Reyna. They both held that darkness inside of them. They both went through hell and lived. Zara knew she shouldn't have felt bad. After all, Reyna betrayed them and killed Burza. What happened at the warehouse was only a fraction of the price that should be paid. Reyna didn't deserve to be in pain though.

Zara closed her eyes. Then, she heard an explosion, and the building shook. Zara quickly sat up and looked up at the ceiling. She heard something else hit the building, and it shook again. Avaris cursed and hurried towards Reyna's side. The doctor spoke, "Collins, evacuate the injured."

Collins nodded and started shouting out orders. The two guards that were at Zara's side hurried forward. One of them helped Aquitaine to her feet. Another one grabbed a demigod with broken leg and picked them up. Zara just stared. Her gaze slowly moved to Avaris.

"Imperator! Wake up!" Avaris yelled. Reyna groaned softly and tried to shift. Avaris cursed and looked around as the building shook once again. She threw Reyna off of the bed. Reyna cried out in pain and slowly rolled onto her back. "I'm sorry, imperator. We must go."

"Go?" Reyna asked. She blinked a few times and slowly sat up. She hissed in pain and took deep breaths. Avaris pulled her to her feet. The building shook again, and Reyna shoved Avaris away, and part of the roof fell in between them. "What the hell is going on?"

Reyna looked at Zara, and an angry look came to her face. She slowly stood and grabbed Zara by her shirt. Reyna pinned Zara to the bed and spoke, "Was this your plan all along?"

"They wanted me to kill the leaders. I told them I wouldn't," Zara began. Reyna glared down at her. Despite how much pain Reyna had to be in, she had a tight grip on Zara's shirt. Even with the world falling down around them, Zara was more scared of the demigod in front of her. "Please. I didn't know."

"Imperator," Avaris began. Reyna shoved Zara down. Zara heard another explosion, but this one was much louder and closer. She turned her head and stared as pieces of the roof fell and blocked the doorway. Collins barely grabbed onto a demigod and pulled them out of harm's way.

Zara looked up. How many catapults was Beleza firing at them? She knew that Beleza had a homemade explosive recipe that included Greek fire, gunpowder, and other nasty ingredients. It was tearing through the building, and it would not end well for the demigods.

"Help me!" Collins yelled. He tried to move some of the rubble. The two members of the Sixth Legion that had been her guards rushed forward. They started to remove the rubble. Zara knew that it was no use. With how the catapults were barraging them, the place would be buried soon.

"There's a tunnel," Reyna began. Avaris nodded and went to speak. She cried out and collapsed to her knees. A crossbow bolt was sticking out of her thigh. Reyna stared and slowly turned around. Zara looked towards the shadows and watched Beleza step out.

"This is how it ends," Beleza stated. She aimed the crossbow at Reyna. "I only wish more of you were injured."

"Call this off," Reyna growled. She reached a hand to her pocket. Her sword was at her side, but she wore no armor. Zara knew that Beleza could fire off two crossbow bolts before Reyna could react. "Or else."

Beleza grabbed a vial with her other hand. It held a dark green liquid. Reyna's eyes widened, and she took a backwards. Beleza spoke, "Oh, you recognize this? You know how volatile this is, especially around catapults."

"Don't," Reyna began. Beleza looked at the ground of demigods that were trying to clear the rubble from the door. None of them seemed to notice Beleza behind them, as the sounds of explosions and the building falling disguised everything.

Beleza smirked and threw the vial into the air. Reyna lunged forward and tried to catch it. The vial hit Reyna's hand, and when she tried to close her fist around the vial, it seemed like she was unable to fully make a fist. The vial fell to the floor and rolled towards the group of demigods.

Beleza moved with lightning speed and kicked Reyna in the ribs. Reyna collapsed to the ground and cried out in pain. Beleza turned and slammed her crossbow into Avaris' temple. Then, she kicked the vial towards the group of demigods and fired a crossbow bolt at it. Zara threw herself off of the bed, to protect herself from the explosion.

After a few moments, Zara lifted her head slightly. She could see Collins being pulled backwards by Aquitaine. It looked like she had tackled him away from the explosion. As for the sight of the explosion, Zara could see the mass of injured and dying demigods. She looked away.

Beleza dropped a backpack to the ground. A look inside showed it was full of the vials. An evil smile came to Beleza's face.

Reyna suddenly slammed into Beleza. She slammed shield into Beleza's face and flipped her over the shield. Zara slowly got to her feet. She stared at the golden shield that Reyna held, and she knew exactly what it was. Vasicio told them of how his mother had blessed Reyna's cloak to make it indestructible, and the goddess then transferred the blessing to a shield after Reyna was exiled.

Reyna grabbed the bag and threw it to the far end of the infirmary. She turned, only for the crossbow to slam into her jaw. Reyna stumbled backwards, and Beleza slammed into her. She slammed Reyna into the a wall.

Zara slowly stood and hurried to their side. She tried to help Beleza, only for her fellow peacekeeper to be thrown into her. Beleza cursed and grabbed her crossbow. She looked at the bag that was near Reyna, and a cruel smile came to her face.

"You'll bring this place down," Zara began. Beleza didn't even look at her. She just raised the crossbow. Reyna seemed to realize it too. She grabbed her shield and stumbled to her feet. Zara heard a crack above them, and she saw a piece of roof about to fall right on top of them. She shoved Beleza out of the way, and the two tumbled to the ground. As they fell, Zara could only watch as Beleza's finger pulled the trigger on the crossbow.

Zara watched as the crossbow bolt was deflected by Reyna's thrown shield. Reyna grabbed her sword and went to take a step towards them. Before Zara could stand, she saw something fly in front of her face. A large, metallic item, almost like a cannonball, slammed into the ground between the three of them, and before Zara could react, the ground disappeared from underneath her feet. The last thing she saw was the dirt of the cave rushing to meet her.


	71. The Price of Sin

As Reyna's eyes fluttered open, a soft groan escaped her. She blinked a few times and slowly lifted her head. Her eyes slowly moved around the cavern that she was in. A small amount of light trickled in from above her, but it wasn't enough to make out her surroundings. Reyna tried to move, and pain tore through her right leg. A yell of pain escaped her, and she slowly looked at the pile of rubble that pinned her leg. Everything from her knee and below was trapped and hidden by the rubble.

Reyna placed her right hand to her face and breathed deeply. She tried to use her uninjured leg to the move the rubble, but when nothing budged, she tried to sit up. Pain tore through her ribs and back, forcing her to lay back down. Reyna swallowed painfully.

Out of the corner of her eye, something glinted. Reyna turned her head and stared at her sword. The red blade almost seemed to be humming, like it knew death was near. Reyna slowly reached her right hand out toward her sword, but it was just out of reach. Reyna let out a frustrated sigh and laid her head back on the ground.

The last thing Reyna remembered was the catapult hitting the ground in front of her. She knew that there was tunnels and caves underneath Camp Jupiter, but she never realized how close they were to the surface. It seemed like she had first fallen into wooden scaffolding, if the wood that trapped her leg was anything to go by. The light above her seemed to be fifteen feet away, but it didn't look like it was a straight drop. That did nothing to make her feel better.

Reyna slowly felt around her belt, but she couldn't find her canteen. It must have been torn away from her during the fall. Reyna took a shaky breath and tried to think. She couldn't feel anything from her knee and below. Reyna wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, but she knew that she needed to calm down and breath. If she remained calm, she could find a way out of her situation.

It took her a moment to take an inventory of her injuries. Her ribs felt like they were broken worse than before, and she was surprised that none of her ribs had torn into her lung. Her left arm burned in pain, but it wasn't like she could move it anyway. Gods, Reyna didn't even want to think about how bad her leg was.

Reyna slowly dug her right elbow into the ground and tried to scoot backwards. Pain tore through her leg, and she yelled in agony. Reyna collapsed onto her back, and after a few moments, she tried to use her left leg to lift the rubble. It didn't even budge. Reyna closed her eyes.

Reyna slowly opened her eyes and looked back at her sword. If she could reach the sword, she could use it to prop up the rubble and free her leg. Reyna desperately tried to reach out for her sword, and as her fingers brushed against the hilt, hope flooded her chest. A sword slammed into her hand, and the hope shattered.

Searing pain started at her fingers and traveled down her hand. Reyna choked on her cry of pain and laid her head back on the ground. A foot stepped on her wrist, and she slowly looked at Beleza. The peacekeeper picked up Reyna's sword. Beleza stepped away and moved a couple of feet backwards. She stabbed Reyna's sword into the ground.

Beleza was limping and had nasty gashes all over her body, but she didn't seem to care too much about the blood loss. Reyna let out a pained breath. Since Beleza had her string, there was no way for her to die, until someone cut it. If Reyna could grab her sword, that person would be her.

"We could have been heroes," Beleza stated. She walked back towards Reyna and dug her heel into Reyna's wrist. Then, she grabbed the two string from Reyna's pocket. Reyna tried to move her arm, but she didn't have any luck. Beleza studied the two strings and gripped them in her hand.

Reyna closed her eyes tightly. After everything that she had done, it couldn't end like this. She couldn't let Hylla die. Reyna desperately tried to remove her leg from the rubble, but all she could do was yell in pain. She wheezed painfully.

"The Olympians do not care for this world. They sit on their thrones and watch as we struggle. They watch as we sacrifice. They watch as we die. We demigods give our lives daily to protect twelve pieces of shit that do not care for us," Beleza snapped. She removed her foot from Reyna's wrist. Reyna pressed her hand against her shirt and tried to ignore the burning pain of her nearly severed fingers. "This was the best opportunity that this world has ever had for change, and you ruined it."

"I did what I had to do," Reyna muttered. Beleza turned on her and knelt by her. She grabbed Reyna's shirt and pulled her into a half sitting position. Beleza's other hand gripped the two strings.

"Is this what you want?" Beleza asked. She examined the strings that were clenched firmly in her fist. Then, she used that same fist to punch Reyna in the face. Reyna's head snapped to the side, and Beleza gave her a few more punches for good measure. She let go of Reyna's shirt.

Reyna collapsed back to the ground and groaned in pain. Beleza spoke, "We fight over nothing. It doesn't matter who leaves this cavern alive. The Olympians have won. They tricked another demigod into keeping them alive. You have seen their sins first hand, Reyna. Why do you still defend them?"

"Can't trust you," Reyna wheezed. Beleza knelt by her and seemed to study her. "I know what the Olympians do. I have seen it first hand, but I don't know what you and your friends would have done."

"Better the devil you know than the angel you don't," Beleza whispered. Reyna nodded. Beleza nodded slightly and pulled out her dagger. She ran it across Reyna's face, and Reyna tensed. She knew that Beleza would want revenge for her fellow peacekeepers, and if Reyna could just make Beleza waste time, it would work out in her favor.

"We could have been heroes," Beleza repeated. She stood and walked away. Reyna tried to use her left leg to lift the rubble, but she had no luck. Reyna wanted to yell in anger, but she needed to focus. Beleza was going to cut her sister's string, and Reyna could not allow that to happen.

Reyna forced herself to sit up, despite the pain that almost dragged her into unconsciousness. She grabbed onto the rubble with both hands and tried to lift it. Pain tore through her left arm instantly, and she yelled in pain. Reyna collapsed back the the ground. A cry of pain and frustration left her.

"We wanted you to work with us," Beleza commented. Her back was still to Reyna, and her focus seemed to be on the two strings. She didn't know which was which, and that was probably the only thing that kept Hylla alive. Reyna tried to do anything she could to lift the rubble but her body screamed in protest. Hylla's life depended on Reyna freeing herself, but she couldn't.

"We thought that you understood the evils of the Olympians. We gave you faith, but you didn't return the favor," Beleza said. She knelt by Reyna's sword. Reyna looked back at the rubble and tried to calm down. All she wanted was for one more blessing from the gods. They had given her blessings throughout the last few wars, and she needed just one more of those blessings to save her sister's life.

But, it looked like the gods were done helping her. No sudden bouts of strength came to her. Instead, she let out a choked breath. Reyna painfully pulled herself into a sitting position and desperately tried to lift the rubble with her right arm. When that didn't work, she collapsed onto her back and tried using her free leg to lift the rubble. When nothing happened, she let out a soft cry.

"Do you think we are monsters for wanting to destroy the Olympians?" Beleza asked quietly. Reyna didn't respond. She could feel everything starting to fade away. Reyna moved her injured fingers on her right hand, and the pain brought her back to reality. "We are trying to destroy the immortals who have unfairly ruled this world for so long. If that makes us monsters, what does that make you? How much blood soaks your hands, Reyna? How many people have you killed, innocent or guilty, in your quest to save the gods?"

"How many more will die, because the gods live?" Beleza wondered. When Reyna didn't answer, Beleza sighed softly. She sat by the sword and examined the two strings in her hand. "We are not the first ones who have wanted to destroy the gods, and thanks to you, we won't be the last. I heard the prophecy, and I thought change was coming."

"Cycle of the distinguished twelve will persist," Beleza said. "We all know the cycles. The Titans overthrew the Primordials, and the Olympians overthrew the Titans. Demigods were suppose to overthrow the Olympians. That is what we thought was happening now, but it seems like it was a different cycle: the cycle of violence and death that has consumed this world for so long. Demigods try to overtake the Olympians, only to die in agony."

"Beleza, you can save the remaining peacekeepers," Reyna wheezed. She barley bit back another cry of pain. "They will die, if you don't stop. What do you think Hades is going to do to their souls?"

"Oh, we are going to the deepest, darkest part of Tartarus," Beleza said. She laughed and sat on Reyna's chest. Reyna wheezed in pain and watched Beleza dangle the two strings in front of her face. "We all knew what would happen if we failed. We were prepared to make that sacrifice, if it meant saving this world."

"You were going to kill those who disagreed with you," Reyna snapped. She could hardly breath, with Beleza pressing all of her weight onto her chest. "Burza told me that camps would fall to their knees."

"And, Zara didn't want anyone to get hurt. Theo was all for hurting only those who deserved it. Camila hated all Romans. I personally don't like many people, but aren't the Olympians the same way?" Beleza questioned. "Zeus cares for no one but himself. Ares hates everyone. Aphrodite is too busy looking for the next man to lay with to even check on her children. They are all different, just as the peacekeepers were."

"We would have been a council. None of us would have been greater than the others. Most of us were more peaceful than violent, until the balance was thrown out of order," Beleza snapped. She dug her knee into Reyna's side. "I understand know that Neith was only trying to cause more mayhem, but we would have destroyed her. You would have replaced her. What would you have done, imperator? Who would you have killed, Reaper? What kind of monster would you have been, Reyna?

"What would have happened if we worked together?" Beleza wondered. She took a deep breath. "We will never know. That hope was destroyed the second Burza's blood hit the elevator's flor. You are going to pay for your sins, imperator. We must all pay for our sins."

"Please just let my sister go," Reyna began. She cried out as the knee dug further into her ribs. Beleza grabbed her jaw tightly and stared down at her. "I don't care what you do to me. Please just don't kill my sister."

"No. We all must pay for our sins," Beleza whispered. She closed her eyes. "You fractured my family. Half of the people that I loved are dead. I am going to return the favor, Reyna. Your mother was just the beginning. I am going to kill your sister, and then, I am going to kill her wife. At what point should I kill you?"

Reyna watched Beleza eye the two strings, as if trying to figure out which one belonged to Hylla. Both of the strings were golden and cut the same length. Reyna spoke, "Beleza, please just let my sister go."

Beleza only smiled, and they both heard footsteps. Reyna slowly turned her head and saw a figure in the darkness. Beleza turned and stood. Zara stepped out of the shadows. She had a nasty gash on her forehead that caused blood to cover her face. She was favoring her side and arm.

"Stop. We can't do this," Zara began. Beleza studied Zara and remained silent. Reyna wheezed in pain and laid her head back. "This is all my fault."

"It's not," Beleza promised. She glared down at Reyna. "It is her fault. She is the one who killed Burza and doomed us all. I am going to make her pay, and I am going to make her watch her damned world burn, just like the infirmary is."

"That makes us no better than the Olympians," Zara whispered. Beleza shook her head. "There is no need to make this world burn, just for revenge. I can sense that four other peacekeepers are still alive. All we have to do is regroup with them and wait. We have our strings. We have waited so long already. What is more time?"

"No," Beleza said. She grabbed Reyna's sword from the ground and hissed as it burned her hand. Beleza handed the two strings to Zara. "Give me Hylla's string, and we will make Reyna pay for her sins. We all get what we deserve."

Zara remained silent for a few moments. She then studied the two strings and nodded. Zara spoke, "You're right. We all get what we deserve."

Zara walked towards Reyna and looked down at her. She knelt by Reyna and spoke, "I'm sorry that it has to end this way, Reyna. I wanted to work with you. I wanted to save this world. We turned into monsters along the way, and I no longer know who I am. I'm sorry."

"Don't," Reyna begged. Zara gently grabbed her injured hand. Reyna felt fabric brush against her palm. She looked down in confusion, and Zara stood. Reyna stared at the string that had been left in her hand. Zara placed one hand into her own pocket, and she held a single string in the other. Why was Reyna holding Hylla's string?

"We all get what we deserve," Zara repeated. She closed her eyes and handed the string over to Beleza. Reyna watched in confusion. If she had been given Hylla's string, that meant Zara handed her own string to Beleza. Why though?

Beleza looked at Reyna and smiled. She brought the string to the sword and cut it. Zara stiffened, and a small gasp escaped her. She smiled slightly and then collapsed to the ground. Beleza stared at Zara and then the two pieces of string in her hands.

Beleza looked like she wanted to form words. Instead, she slowly looked down at Zara and collapsed to her knees. She closed her eyes, and tears trickled out. Reyna tried to free her leg once again, and she barely choked back a cry of pain. She had Hylla's string, and she needed to get out of there.

"Zara was always the most innocent of us," Beleza whispered. Her voice shook, like she was going to cry. Instead, she took a deep breath. "She was always hesitant to do anything against the demigods. Now, she has decided to sacrifice herself for your sister, to try and find the redemption that she had long sought but does not need. This is all your fault, Reyna."

"Zara made her choice," Reyna snapped. She gripped the string the best she could. Beleza wiped her tears and took a deep breath. She walked towards Reyna and knelt by her. Beleza grabbed Reyna's shirt and pulled her into a sitting position.

"You forced her to make that choice. She feels guilty because of what you did. It is your fault," Beleza snapped. She glared down at Reyna, and her eyes seemed to almost glow pink. Charmspeak laced her words. "You are going to pay for it. Now, tell me how to kill you."


	72. Dona Nobis Pacem

"Tell me how to kill you," Beleza repeated. Reyna closed her eyes tightly. She wished that she still had Rhea's ring that allowed her to resist charmspeak. Reyna tried to focus on her pain, but the charmspeak easily wrapped around her mind.

"I can only die by giving up my position," Reyna spoke. She struggled to bite her tongue and not say a word. Beleza watched her with a cold smile.

"I think there is another way," Beleza said. She grabbed Reyna's jaw tightly. "I remember Eris bragging about how she saved you. Metis was chanting something, almost like a spell. Your sword was buried in your chest. Eris thinks those words were a curse, but I think they were another way to kill you. What was she saying?"

"I don't know," Reyna said. She cried out in pain as Beleza shoved her back to the ground. Beleza pinned her and stared down at her. Reyna felt the sword being placed to her throat. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was unconscious."

"Unconscious and defenseless," Beleza stated. She shook her head. "Eris saved you from Metis. Kronos saved you from Ouranos. Your mother saved you from Enyo. There is no immortal to save you this time. If I can't figure out what Metis was chanting, I am just going to force you to give up your position."

Beleza grabbed the string that Reyna was trying to hold onto. Reyna tried to move her hand, but Beleza easily pinned it. The peacekeeper spoke, "Zara's final act was to try and save your sister. She always tried to save people. May the gods give her peace."

"You talk like you care. You don't even feel guilty," Reyna wheezed. Beleza glared down at her. "You don't care that Zara died."

"Do not tell me what I do and do not care about," Beleza snapped. The pink seemed to disappear from her eyes, and the influence of the charmspeak disappeared. "I understand that I just murdered one of my greatest friends. She died by my hand, to extend the life of your sister. I care so much, but I will grieve after I destroy your life."

"Let me tell you what is going to happen," Beleza whispered. She leaned in closer. "I am going to make you give up your position. When you draw your last breath, I will cut your sister's string. Then, I am going to find that little wife of hers, and I am going to have so much fun with her."

"You're going to leave them both alone," Reyna snapped. Beleza laughed and stabbed the sword into the ground, near Reyna's head. She reached one hand behind her and placed that hand to Reyna's trapped leg. "If you leave Beleza, you can save your friends. Is killing me more important than that?"

"My family is severed," Beleza snapped. Reyna saw the peacekeeper's arm move, and she felt a terrible pain in her leg. Reyna yelled and felt Beleza's other hand cover her mouth. The pain in her leg only got worse and worse. Reyna couldn't stop her scream of pain. "Just like your leg will be soon."

The pain stopped for a few moments, and Reyna tried to breath. She knew that the pain would end if she gave up her position, but if she did that, Hylla would die. Beleza would find Kinzie and torture her. Reyna felt the hand move away from her leg.

"It doesn't look so good from here," Beleza commented. Reyna didn't answer. She knew that all she had to do was endure the pain, but she couldn't take anymore.

"Please stop," Reyna begged. Her words were muffled by Beleza's hand. After a moment, Beleza lifted her hand. "I'll give up my position. Just let Hylla and Kinzie live. There's no need to kill them."

"You fucked with my family," Beleza snapped. She covered Reyna's mouth again and moved her other hand back to Reyna's leg. Pain exploded in Reyna's leg, and her scream of pain was muffled by the hand pressed against her mouth. "So, I am fucking with yours, Reyna. Your sister's string will be cut, and you cannot imagine the things I will do to her wife. She'll be screaming worse than you are."

Reyna felt her eyes close, and they snapped open a moment later. She realized that she had passed out from pain. Reyna quickly looked around. Beleza was kneeling next to Zara's body. Reyna slowly moved her hand down to her trapped leg. Everything above her knee hurt, and she couldn't feel anything below it. The rubble still trapped her leg, and there was nothing she could do to lift it.

"I am not going to stop until you give up your position," Beleza said. She had one hand placed to Zara's face. "All you have to do is ask for Atropos to free you."

"And then, you kill my sister," Reyna wheezed. She could taste blood in her mouth. Beleza looked at her and hummed. The peacekeeper walked towards Reyna and knelt by her. Beleza slowly wrapped Hylla's string around the red blade. Reyna closed her eyes tightly.

"One little slip. Then, it's all over," Beleza whispered. Reyna felt the string fall onto her face. She tried to grab it, but Beleza intercepted her hand and pinned it to the ground. "Oh, that does not look good, imperator. It's a shame that you can't move your other arm either. Too weak to save your sister."

"Beleza, we both know this is over. Most of the peacekeepers are dead, and it is only a matter of time before the remaining ones die as well," Reyna said. Beleza nodded her agreement. "You don't have to do this. Just leave my sister's string alone and walk away. Please."

"There is no walking away anymore," Beleza whispered. "No. Your sister is going to die. You have gone through hell and back for her, but it's not going to be enough. No immortals are going to save the day. All your friends are busy fighting. None of them have your back, like always."

A smile came to Beleza's face. She placed her hand back to Reyna's knee. Reyna glared and saw the shadows behind Beleza shift. A black sword suddenly tore through the peacekeeper's chest. Reyna stared at the Stygian iron blade. Beleza was shoved off of the blade and thrown to the ground.

"Nico?" Reyna asked. Nico nodded and studied her for a few moments. Then, he turned towards Beleza. Reyna looked away and heard the peacekeeper scream. The screams became louder and louder, until they finally stopped. Reyna kept her eyes closed, until she felt a gentle hand grab her shoulder.

"Hang on," Nico whispered. Reyna slowly opened her eyes and watched Nico try to lift the rubble. Nico struggled for a few moments, before he backed away. "Keep hanging on. I'm going to find someone to help."

"I can't," Reyna whispered. She slowly grabbed her sister's string. Hylla was safe. That was all that mattered. It was all that Reyna wanted. Her eyes slowly closed. "I can't take anymore pain, Nico."

"Reyna, it's over," Nico began. He grabbed her hand gently. "The remaining peacekeepers surrendered. The barbarians retreated, and they haven't stopped fleeing yet. The minor gods have even stopped their assault on Mount Olympus. We won. Reyna, we won. You just have to hold on."

"Hylla's safe. That's the only thing I care about," Reyna whispered. "There's no reason for me to keep my position. Olympus is saved, and the gods will continue to ruin lives, like they had all along. All because of me. I don't deserve happiness."

"Reyna, you have saved this world so many times in the past few months. There is no way in Hades that I am going to allow you to think that you don't deserve to live a life of happiness. Hang on for me, please. I'll get Arcadia and some doctors."

Reyna didn't respond. She felt the temperature drop, which meant Nico had shadow traveled. Reyna slowly opened her eyes She heard footsteps, and she slowly lifted her head. Black eyes stared down at her. Reyna spoke, "Atropos."

"Reaper," Atropos replied. She walked towards Reyna and studied her. "Hylla is going to die some day."

Reyna cradled the string the best she could, and if she could move, she would have scooted as far away as possible. Instead, she stared up at the Fate. Atropos spoke, "What are you going to do then?"

"Please don't kill my sister," Reyna begged. She gripped the string the best she could, but she could hardly feel her fingers. She could hardly feel her leg. All Reyna wanted was for the pain to stop. "I am not going to lose my sister, not after all of this."

"Death is inevitable," Atropos stated. "It comes for us all. What are you going to do, when it's Hylla's time."

"I'm going to be dead before then," Reyna stated. Atropos studied her and remained silent. Reyna tried to sit up, to try and meet her end with some dignity. Instead, she collapsed back to the ground and let out a soft groan. "I can't do this anymore."

"So, you want to give up your position?" Atropos asked. Reyna didn't respond for a few minutes, and she stared up at the small amount of light above her. The only reason that she originally took the position was to protect her older sister. Atropos told her that Hylla would die, and Reyna had to save her sister. Now, what was Reyna even fighting for?

Reyna fought the peacekeepers, not to save the Olympians. She fought the peacekeepers to preserve Olympus and keep the world in some kind of balance. The peacekeepers being in control would have meant chaos and death. The camps would have fought them, and there would have been so much death in the world. How much death would there be now? How many demigods would continue to die because the Olympians ruled?

The Olympians didn't care about the world, as long as it was around for them to control. The peacekeepers would have burnt the world to the ground, no matter what they claimed. Reyna closed her eyes tightly as more pain shot through her body. A hand touched her arm, and the pain faded away.

"Hylla's safe. Kinzie's safe. I'm sure the Sixth Legion will be fine without me," Reyna said. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Atropos. "You won't cut her string, will you? She doesn't deserve to die. It's not her fault."

"Your sister will not die today. She will when she is meant to," Atropos replied. Reyna nodded and laid her head back. "I can end it for you, champion. Whatever afterlife you desire waits for you."

"What about the peacekeepers?" Reyna whispered. Her eyes slowly focused on Atropos. Everything was becoming quieter. She almost felt at peace. "What waits for them?"

"Hades will have a great say in that. I'm sure the other Olympians will as well," Atropos replied. Reyna stared up at the ceiling. The twelve peacekeepers fought for what they believed in. Neith, as evil as she was, only wanted revenge for the destruction of her world. She wanted revenge for those that she loved.

Zara allowed herself to die, just to spare Hylla. The peacekeepers all had their reasons for what they did. They were so wronged by the gods that they were willing to give their lives to change things, and Reyna stopped them. If she had worked with them, they would have been gods. Reyna could have ensured there was peace.

The gods wouldn't care why the peacekeepers did what they did. They would only care for their own children, and the rest could burn. Reyna didn't think the peacekeepers deserved to suffer in Tartarus. They had done terrible things, but Reyna had as well. When backs were forced to a wall, any demigod would do terrible things.

What made the peacekeepers different? Was it because they decided to fight against the gods? Was it because they decided to take a stand? Would anyone be able to do that now? Reyna gently rubbed her father's dog tags. Reyna fought the peacekeepers to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. Who would protect the world from the gods?

"No," Reyna decided. She took a shaky breath. "No, I'm not ready to give up my position. I can't let innocents suffer because of the Olympians. I know they're going to come down hard on the minor gods and anyone who helped the peacekeepers. Who knows what else they are going to do?"

"Duty keeps you bound, but another would take your place," Atropos stated. She sat by Reyna and studied her. "Would you go to war with the gods?"

"I almost did," Reyna answered. Her eyes started to drift close, and she struggled to stay awake. "I could have worked with the peacekeepers. The only thing that stopped me was my father's words and an elevator door. You said that if I did something to alter the world significantly or set it on a path of destruction, you would end me. What if I had worked with the peacekeepers?"

"Twelve Olympians would have lied dead at your feet, and you would still have been my champion," Atropos said. Reyna frowned. "There is only a few things, Reyna. The first is to attack myself or one of my sisters. The second one is to steal a string."

"Speaking of strings," Reyna said painfully. She slowly held her hand out towards Atropos. The fabric brushed against the bones of her fingers, and she barely resisted the urge to cry out in pain. Atropos gently grabbed the string. "You swear that Hylla will not get into trouble?"

"No. Your sister did nothing wrong," Atropos answered. Reyna breathed a sigh of relief. "Your mother stole the string, and at the moment, she is suffering in Tartarus. There are not many fates worse than that."

"Atropos, did I do the right thing?" Reyna asked. The Fate looked down at her. "Did I do the right thing by saving the Olympians?"

"Does it feel like the right thing?" Atropos questioned. Reyna didn't respond. She didn't know how to respond. "Reaper, you cannot dwell on the past. It will only drive you further and further into your darkness. You made the choice that you thought was right. That is all that matters."

"It doesn't feel like much of a victory," Reyna whispered. She closed her eyes and heard footsteps. Reyna slowly opened her eyes and saw Nico kneel next to her. Hylla was by her side a second later. Reyna stared up at her older sister.

"Make it one," Atropos said, but the words seemed reserved for Reyna only. The Fate disappeared from sight. Reyna stared at where the Fate had been. Then, she looked back at Hylla. Her sister cradled her face and slowly looked around. Avaris' face appeared in the background.

"Stay with me," Hylla begged. She looked down at Reyna. "Nico told me what you said. Please hold on."

"I will," Reyna whispered. Hylla nodded and kissed Reyna's forehead. "I just want the pain to stop."

"It will, as soon as we lift the rubble," Hylla promised. She looked back. Reyna slowly lifted her head and saw Arcadia standing over her. Arcadia placed a hand to the rubble and nodded to Avaris. The goddess lifted the rubble with ease. Hylla and Nico both grabbed Reyna's shoulders and gently dragged her backwards.

"Oh shit," Avaris said. Reyna tried to look up, but Hylla gently placed a hand to her chest and kept her against the ground. "Nico, give me your jacket. Arcadia, give me your knife. Imperator, this is going to hurt."

"Why did the doctor just say oh shit?" Reyna asked. She tried to lift her head, but Hylla didn't let her. "Hylla, why does she need a knife?"

"Can you save it?" Hylla asked, as she looked behind her. Reyna's eyes widened, and Nico grabbed her arm.

"Save?" Reyna asked. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to calm down. Hylla gently ran a hand through her hair. "Hylla, how bad is it?"

"Avaris is going to do what she can," Hylla whispered. Reyna wanted to speak. Instead, she felt terrible pain in her knee. Reyna weakly cried out and tried to move. A hand gently grabbed her leg and kept it pinned. "Reyna, look at me. You're going to be okay. I promise. You can rest now."

"Arcadia, put her to sleep," Avaris ordered. Reyna took shaky breaths. Arcadia appeared over her and placed two fingers to her temple. Reyna's tried to speak, but her eyes starting to close. "Just relax, imperator. I'll do what you can. All you need to do is finally rest."

"I'm not leaving your side," Hylla promised. Reyna wanted to nod. Instead, her eyes slowly drifted close. Hylla placed Reyna's head in her lap and kissed her forehead. Reyna slowly fell into a peaceful sleep.


	73. A Matter of Peace

Clarisse studied the four peacekeepers in front of her. Their hands were tied behind their back, and they had been stripped of their weapons. Most importantly, their strings were out of their possession, and in the hands of one very angry goddess. The daughter of Ares smirked and looked around Camp Jupiter. She quickly lost her smirk.

The Senate House had been nearly leveled by the catapults. Most of the demigods that had been inside were dead. A sick feeling came to Clarisse's gut. She clenched her fist and turned towards the peacekeepers. This was all their fault. They were the ones who fired on the infirmary.

Clarisse move her eyes towards Collins. The demititan was pacing back and forth. He was ranting as well. Clarisse wasn't sure if Collins was upset that he had been saved or that so many of his patients had died. His savior, Aquitaine, was being checked over by a child of Apollo. Sparta sat near them, but her gaze stayed focused on Clarisse. Almost everyone seemed to be watching her, as if trying to figure out what she was going to do.

Clarisse nodded towards the members of the Sixth Legion and tried to shake off the feeling of being watched. The appearance of the Greeks and Hunters of Artemis had ran off all of the barbarians. Hopefully, the barbarians would run all the way back to Europe. Part of her wanted to hunt them down and make them pay, but they didn't have time. The peacekeepers in front of her would just have to pay.

"Just kill us," one of the peacekeepers said. She looked up at Clarisse. Despite the woman's naturally kind face, her eyes were full of hatred. "The Olympians will torture us. They will not grant us a smooth death. If you have a merciful bone in your body, you will cut our strings and kill us now."

"Your fellow peacekeepers tried to kill my friends. They tried to kill the people that I care about. The last thing I am going to be is merciful," Clarisse said. She knelt by the peacekeeper, who looked like a child of Apollo. "I really hope that you suffer."

"Demigods like you are the reason that we do this," another one of the peacekeepers snapped. He glared up at Clarisse. "It doesn't matter if your father is an Olympian. That doesn't give you the right to push us around."

"They don't care about us," a third peacekeeper said. "Our stings will be given to the Olympians, and we will be tortured. All we can do is prepare."

Clarisse turned away from the peacekeepers. She looked around Camp Jupiter. Most of the uninjured demigods were helping the injured. The rest were clearing the battlefield. Clarisse heard footsteps and turned towards Arcadia. She spoke, "Are we ready to go to Olympus?"

"Almost," Arcadia muttered. Her eyes seemed unfocused, and blood covered her hands. Clarisse knew that Arcadia had spent the last hour at Reyna's side. "How are the other demigods faring?"

"There's a lot of injuries," Clarisse answered. She looked around. "We're gathering the fallen. We've lost so many people this past year. This doesn't feel like a victory, but how can it? We were thrust into another war. Speaking of wars, how's Reyna?"

"Her leg was nearly severed at the knee, thanks to one of the peacekeepers. Avaris just finished up the surgery. Reyna will be fine, eventually," Arcadia said. Her gaze moved towards the other peacekeepers. "Reyna drifted in and out of consciousness a lot. She doesn't want these peacekeepers to be punished."

"They went to war with us. They killed our friends. Our only question is how long should the punishment last," Clarisse said. Arcadia remained silent. "Look, I know that you have this undying loyalty to Reyna, and she probably ordered you to protect the peacekeepers. That doesn't matter though. The peacekeepers tried to destroy our home. They fired on the infirmary. Why shouldn't they be punished?"

"How does a demigods get their string?" Arcadia asked. Clarisse slowly looked at her. "It is given to them by their parents. The gods steal the string from the Fates and give it to their children. Their children suffer because of that."

"Those four are really suffering," Clarisse said. She shook her head and looked back at the peacekeepers. The four of them were just staring at the ground, resigned to their fate. Clarisse looked back at Arcadia. The goddess was staring off into the distance. "They didn't have to watch the people they care about die. They didn't have to fight in a war!"

"We didn't start this war," the fourth peacekeeper said. He tried to stand, but two swords appeared at his neck. "The Olympians have been treating demigods like dirt forever. It is time for change. How many more demigods have to die because of their sins?"

"Shut your mouth," Clarisse snapped. The peacekeeper glared at her and then finally sat back on the ground. "I don't care what any of you have to say. Arcadia, let's go."

"Clarisse, you need to stop and think," Arcadia began. Clarisse turned towards the goddess and glared at her. "If we hand them and their strings over to the Olympians, all of this will be pinned on them. We need to look at the root cause of this."

"We need peace," Clarisse said quietly. She closed her eyes and sighed tiredly. "I don't know what is going to happen to the peacekeepers, but I can guess. It isn't going to be pretty. Someone needs to suffer for those mistakes though. Let it be the peacekeepers."

Clarisse knew it was wrong to allow the four peacekeepers to take the punishment for everyone involved. She knew the peacekeepers weren't the only demigods who tried to kill them, but if they could focus the Olympians anger on just the peacekeepers, they could finally have peace.

"Just give me the strings," Clarisse ordered. After a moment, Arcadia held the strings out. Clarisse grabbed them and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was in another place. This place was cold and barren, as if life had never touched the stone floors or misty air. Clarisse quickly looked around and relaxed as she saw Lachesis. "What's going on?"

"The string of life was never measured to be this long," Lachesis said. Her eyes looked at the strings, as if she could actually see them. "They were never meant to live this long. What are you going to do with their strings?"

"Give the strings over to the Olympians. They'll do whatever and give the strings to you," Clarisse said with a shrug. Something that almost looked like a smile came to Lachesis's face. She waved a hand, and the dark corridor that they were in changed. Clarisse slowly looked around the tent that they were now in. It was full of medical supplies and small beds that were made out of sheets.

A woman was sitting at the corner of the tent and looked exhausted. A man was standing next to her. The man had a radiant smile, and Clarisse recognized him immediately, unfortunately. Apollo smiled at the woman and spoke, "You're doing great."

"I can't do this anymore," the woman whispered. Her face was covered in dirt and sweat. Her clothes were nothing more than just rags. "They all come to me, wanting help. I cannot help all of them. They elevate me, like some kind of god. I am not a god or anything like it."

"Pia, my blood runs through your veins. You are a half god, and they recognize that. Let them celebrate you," Apollo said. His smile seemed to brighten. Pia's shoulders drooped even more. Clarisse recognized the peacekeeper in front of her: the one who wanted Clarisse to kill them. "Imagine having your own cult."

"I don't want a cult," the woman snapped. She slowly stood and started to pace back and forth. "I just want to help people who cannot afford to help themselves or don't know how to. I don't want people to praise me like a god. I just want to help those who cannot help themselves, but there are too many."

"There is nothing wrong with having a cult following or even five cult followings. People will praise you. You'll learn to love it, sooner or later," Apollo said. He stood. "I have a meeting on Olympus. Just remember to not get too close to anyone in your cult. They tend to get really clingy and will actually die for you."

Pia stared up at Apollo. He started to glow brightly, and she quickly looked away. As the god disappeared, Pia took a deep breath. She shook her head and walked out of the tent. Clarisse watched Lachesis follow behind the peacekeeper. After a moment, Clarisse did as well.

As Clarisse stepped out of the tent, she winced at the bright sun. She held her hand up to block out the shining light. A few blinks cleared her vision, and she stared at the all of the people that were gathered outside of the tent. Each person seemed to have some kind of injury or ailment, but they stood in line and seemed to wait their turn.

There was one woman who stood behind everyone else. The woman wore a hood that covered her features, but Clarisse could see peaceful eyes underneath that hood. The woman was Eirene, but why was she there? Lachesis spoke, "Hundreds of people lined up to see the miracle healer at work. It almost reminds me of the biblical stories. That is what they compared her to, even those who worshiped the Greek gods."

"What is Eirene doing here?" Clarisse asked. She watched Pia motion for the person at the front of the line. They followed her inside the tent.

"Hunting down her next peacekeeper," Lachesis answered. "They are demigods who held immense power. They were destined for great thing, even if their flame would burn out quickly. Pia, according to Atropos, would have died two weeks from this moment. The angry brother of a patient that waited in line and died of their wounds would confront Pia. He would beat her near death, only for her cult to intervene."

"The gods would become threatened, in a way. They see a demigod being praised more than they were, and Pia would watch her cult be punished by the gods. She would blame herself for it, and while she never told another soul, she tried to kill herself. Eirene stopped her," Lachesis answered. "The goddess of peace sees injustice and gathered these great demigods. She stole their strings and made them into monsters."

"Why would Eirene think that these demigods could save the world?" Clarisse asked. Lachesis snapped her fingers, and the world around them changed once again. Clarisse slowly looked around the dark room that she stood in. A man laid on his stomach and whimpered in pain.

The man's back was a bloody mess. There was deep cuts all over his body, and a large pool of blood beneath him. Both of his legs looked broken, and every breath that left him was one of pain. Clarisse heard the flapping of wings and saw an evil smile in the corner of the room.

"I didn't do anything," the man wheezed. Each breath sounded like it caused him agonizing pain. "I have no clue what you are talking about. I didn't do any of those things."

"The Angry One," Lachesis whispered, and her gaze focused on the Fury. Clarisse looked at the winged monster in front of her. She knew that the Furies were lapdogs of Hades, but none of this made sense. Why was Lachesis showing her these things?

"Admit that you aided them," Alecto hissed. She cracked her flaming whip, and the man whimpered. "You know the crime they committed, but you aided them. You helped them. Why?"

"I didn't," the man wheezed. Alecto smiled and slowly circled around the man. "Please. I don't know what you're talking about. Please just kill me."

"You will only die when we are done with you," Alecto said. She grabbed the man's face with one hand. Her other hand held up a string. "Then, you're going to rot in Tartarus. Do you know what happens to enemies of Hades?"

"I am not an enemy. Please," the man begged. Alecto only smiled and shoved him back to the ground.

"You put men to sleep. Those men committed crimes against our great lord. They murdered a child of his. Their ancestors destroyed a clan that one of his children belonged to. It is only justice for everyone involved in the crime to suffer greatly. Instead, you put them to sleep and allowed them to pass. Now, you must suffer in their place," Alecto whispered. "I'll leave you to think of my words."

Alecto opened the cell door and turned back towards the man. Clarisse saw a shadow slip in behind the Fury. Alecto turned and left the cell. The woman stepped out of the shadows and spoke, "Charles, you don't know me, but I work with someone who has been watching you. I work with someone who thinks you don't deserve to suffer. You were just trying to help people, and my father should not punish you."

"Who?" the man whispered. He tried to breath. The woman shushed him and slowly looked around. "I just wanted to help people."

"I know. Many of us do," the woman whispered. "They have your string?"

"String? What are you taking about?" the man asked. "What's going on?"

"Look, I'm Camila. Those men that you put to sleep, those Romans, murdered my family hundreds of years ago," the woman whispered. "I am going to get your string from Alecto, and then, we will take you somewhere safe. We will get you help, and we will get you an opportunity at a new life."

"As long as the pain stops," the man whispered, and his eyes slowly closed. Camila stood. Clarisse felt another presence next to them and saw Eirene watching from the entrance of the cell.

"Do you understand?" Lachesis asked. She waved her hand again, changing the scene once more. Two men, the other two peacekeepers, stood in a room. One was studying five different Iris messages, but they all seemed to have multiple messages playing at the same time. The other was leaning against the wall. "They all went against the gods."

"And paid the price," Clarisse guessed. She looked at the two men. The one in front of the Iris message spoke, "Asher, this is big. If we leak these messages, it could cause war within the gods. That would mean the end of this world."

"Someone needs to know. We can't go to the big man above," Asher said. "I don't know, Hilk. We could try Poseidon: the big man underwater. This is crazier than anything I've ever seen."

"Well, you know crazy," Hilk said. He smiled slightly and then took a shaky breath. "Alright, these fourteen messages are going to get us killed, if we don't show the right person. Can we trust your father?"

"Yeah. Bacchus can help us," Asher said. He frowned. "I don't know how to approach him though. How do we tell him that Mars is planning a war between the camps? How do we tell him that Ceres plans to overthrow Pluto and even has a ton of Pluto's enemies working with her? How do we tell Venus that Vulcan plans on trapping her away and finally make her his bride?"

"We have the messages. It's blackmail, if they come after us," Hilk said. He sighed tiredly. "I hate looking over my shoulder though. Why are the Olympians so focused on each other instead of on the world?"

"They do not care for peace," Eirene stated. Hilk and Asher both turned around and stared at the goddess. Hilk waved his hand, and the messages disappeared. "They do not care about making sure the world is just. You two understand that, don't you?"

"We do," Asher began. He took a step backwards. "Who are you?"

"My name is Eirene, and I have a group that fights for justice. I call them peacekeepers," Eirene said. She smiled at them. "We see the injustice of the Olympians. We see the injustice of the entire world, and I want to change it. I want things to be right. I want demigods to be safe."

"To achieve that, I must find the best demigods that I can," Eirene stated. She smiled at the two demigods. "I must find those who want to correct the injustices of this world and those who want to save the world. Do you two want to make the world safe? If you do, join me."

Asher and Hilk exchanged looks. Eirene continued, "A war is brewing between the two sides, and Mars want to put his plan into action. He wants war between the two camps. Will you two help me stop it?"

"Considering we both have friends that will die if that happens, we'll help," Asher said. Hilk nodded his agreement. Eirene smiled at the two, and the scene froze.

"Will you give their strings back to the Olympians?" Lachesis asked. Clarisse looked at the Fate and remained silent. Was this all an attempt to make her feel bad for the peacekeepers? She didn't feel bad for them. They had chosen their fates by working with Eirene in the first place. They all had a choice.

Now, Clarisse had her own choice. She blinked and found herself back at Camp Jupiter. Arcadia was staring at her, with a raised eyebrow. It looked like she was waiting for an answer. Clarisse looked away and tried to think. Wouldn't it just be easy to hand the strings over to the Olympians?

"Are you ready to go to Mount Olympus?" Arcadia asked. Clarisse didn't respond and looked back at the peacekeepers. Two of them had information about terrible things the gods were going to do. One of them was being tortured. The fourth had gained a cult following by healing people. They all joined the peacekeepers for different reasons, but those reasons led to war. Was it all their fault though?

"Is Reyna awake?" Clarisse asked. Arcadia glanced at her and shook her head. "I need to talk to Reyna and Sally before we go to Olympus. If the Olympians get mad, that's not my problem. Keep an eye on the peacekeepers though."

Arcadia nodded. Clarisse turned and looked around for Sally. She wasn't sure where her fellow champion was, but they did need to discuss the fate of the peacekeepers. Clarisse didn't know her next move, but she did know that her and her fellow champions needed to be united in their decision.


	74. The Truth About Legends

As Reyna's eyes opened, she almost expected to find herself back in the cavern. She expected to feel dirt under her back and terrible pain in her knee. While there was pain in her leg, it was pretty subdued. There wasn't a heavy weight on her chest. As Reyna slowly tried to sit up, a hand gently pushed her back onto the bed.

"Imperator, you need to relax," Arcadia said. Reyna slowly looked up at the goddess. Arcadia sat next to her and smiled slightly. Reyna slowly looked around. She could feel that she was laying on a rather soft bed, which meant it belonged to one of the houses of New Rome. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure," Reyna admitted. She slowly moved her hand down to her right knee. Her fingers brushed against a bandage. Arcadia gently grabbed her hand. Reyna looked at the goddess.

"Your leg was nearly severed at your knee, but it will heal," Arcadia said. Reyna laid her head back against the pillow and let out a tired breath. She was scared to look at the damage to her knee. Arcadia's hand gently rubbed hers.

"Nearly severed," Reyna repeated. She took another shaky breath and slowly lifted her head, enough to see a bandage wrapped around her knee, but otherwise, her leg looked fine. Reyna laid her head back against the pillow and let out a shaky, relieved breath. She could feel the eyes of the goddess studying her. Arcadia sat by her. "How long was I asleep?"

"A few days," Arcadia replied. "We're still at Camp Jupiter. The barbarians had been routed and sent back to Rome. We'll have to protect our borders, but I doubt any of the barbarians will be able to mount an attack on us in the immediate future. Hopefully, we will be able to restore our base before then."

"We'll worry about our borders, after the camps are safe," Reyna said. Arcadia nodded in understanding. Reyna slowly lifted her head and looked back at her leg. "Will I be able to walk again?"

"You will," Arcadia replied. She gently rubbed Reyna's hand. "Avaris was able to save Aquitaine's leg after the tree fell on it. Your injury was much easier for her to deal with."

"Aquitaine's leg is mostly metal and a bit of bone," Reyna began. Arcadia didn't respond to that. Reyna sighed tiredly and tried to think. Over the last few days, all she remembered was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was sure that Hylla and Arcadia had been at her side most of the time, but now, she didn't see her older sister anywhere now.

"Where's Hylla?" Reyna asked. She must have looked concerned, since Arcadia smiled at her. "She's safe, right? Is she okay?"

"Hylla is safe. She is with her wife right now. They are just getting dinner," Arcadia replied. She studied Reyna's face. Reyna allowed herself to relax. Her hand slowly moved down to her knee again.

"Imperator, it will take time, but do not be discouraged. Your knee will heal fully. It will not turn out like your hand did," Arcadia said. She studied Reyna's hand and gently helped her make a fist. "Do you blame yourself for what happened at the the infirmary?"

Reyna looked away and stared at the ground. She remembered trying to catch that vial as it had been thrown into the air. It slipped right between her fingers. If she had been able to catch it, how many lives would she have saved? Arcadia gripped her hand tightly.

"Don't blame yourself, imperator. You did everything you could," Arcadia said. Reyna closed her eyes. She knew that she had done everything that she could, but it wasn't good enough. It never was. Reyna took a deep breath and tried to calm down. They heard a gentle knock at the door.

Reyna slowly opened her eyes, worried about who it was. The only person she really wanted to see was her sister. Anyone else would just make the talk awkward, or they would be hostile to her. Reyna took a shaky breath. She needed to calm down. The only thing she could do was push forward and do what she thought was best. That meant she needed to repair a lot of bridges that her actions had burnt.

"Is she awake?" Nico asked, as he stepped into the room. He looked at Reyna, and a smile came to his face. Reyna smiled back. Nico walked toward her side and sat by her. "I told you that I had your back, and I meant it."

"You saved my life," Reyna said. She closed her eyes as she felt the pain come back to her leg. For a few moments, she could hear Beleza's taunts. A hand grabbed her forearm, and she slowly opened her eyes. "Thank you, Nico. I don't know how I can repay you."

"You don't have to repay me. I was just helping a friend," Nico said. Reyna looked at him and tried to get rid of her disbelieving look. Nico simply smiled at her. "After Arcadia destroyed the barrier at Camp Half-Blood, we came to Camp Jupiter to help. I sensed that you were in trouble. I could feel how close you were to death, and it was a lot more than you are now."

"I still owe you," Reyna said. Nico shook his head in protest. Reyna closed her eyes. Beleza had taunted her that there was no one to save her, but Nico had been there. It seemed like Reyna's life had been saved plenty of times by her friends, but maybe, that wasn't a bad thing. "Did I miss anything important?"

"The Olympians want to talk to us, which isn't a surprise," Arcadia said. Reyna slowly opened her eyes. She couldn't imagine that the meeting would go well, but sooner or later, they would have to talk to the Olympians. They couldn't just ignore them forever.

"The dead have been buried," Nico replied. He took a shaky breath. "Everyone else is taking care of their injuries and staying at Camp Jupiter. I think everyone wants to talk to you, even if they won't admit it."

"Great," Reyna muttered. She laid her head back and heard a knock. Arcadia tensed and quickly stood. Reyna lifted her head enough to see the Titaness that was standing at the doorway. Rhea was standing at the doorway and watching her with kind eyes. A smile came to Rhea's face.

"How are you feeling?" Rhea asked. Reyna didn't say a word. Nico slowly stood and gave Reyna a reassuring nod. He left the room. Arcadia crossed her arms and didn't move an inch. Rhea slowly looked at the goddess. "Arcadia, can the two of us be alone?"

"No," Reyna answered. Arcadia glanced at her and nodded. Rhea frowned, but she didn't say another word "Anything that you want to say to me can be said to both of us."

"I understand that you don't trust me anymore, Reyna. I am sorry for that, but I want to earn your trust back," Rhea said. Reyna remained silent and glared. "I also want to talk to you before the Olympians do. How are you feeling?"

"I'm not in the mood to play games. I know that you don't even care," Reyna muttered. She stared up at the ceiling. Why was Rhea even bothering her? For some reason, the Titaness was not getting the message through her thick skull. Leaving Rhea's ring in the elevator didn't get the message across, and telling the Titaness that she wanted nothing to do with her seemed to only encourage Rhea more.

"I do care, Reyna. I have been trying to help you however I can," Rhea said. Reyna smirked and shook her head. One of the last things that she wanted to do was talk to Rhea. "I know that you are mad, but we must talk."

"I really don't care what you have to say," Reyna snapped. She tried to sit up, but pain flared in her side. Arcadia gently placed a hand to her right arm. "Rhea, I do not want to be your champion. I don't want anything to do with you. Hell, I don't want anything to do with any of the Olympians. It is their fault that there has been so many wars. The Olympians have made so many mistakes over the centuries, and their children are the ones who pay the price."

"Reyna, you cannot be an enemy of Olympus forever," Rhea stated. Reyna looked down. "Do you know why Zeus insists that you are an enemy of Olympus? It is because you worked with my husband, and the Olympians understand that you allowed Kronos to use you a vessel to be able to destroy Ouranos. What you do not understand is how easy it is to fall back into that temptation. Do not be surprised when you hear Kronos' voice in your ear."

"I know you hold hatred in your heart, but you must think clearly," Rhea said. She took a few steps forward. Arcadia quickly blocked Rhea's way. The Titaness shook her head. "You must forgive the Olympians."

"Forgive them for wanting me dead?" Reyna asked. She shook her head. "I don't get it, Rhea. My mother told my father that as long as one of our bloodline remained to fight for the homeland, Rome would be safe. If that's actually true, why do all of the Olympians want me dead? I've been fighting to save the Olympians and this world, and the Olympians want to repay me in death. Why?"

"Everyone has seen what you are willing to do to protect Rome," Rhea said. Reyna looked down and remembered the horrible things she had done. She remembered the people that she had killed. There was time when she even tried to kill her friends, all to save her home. In the end, it wouldn't matter. Her home was taken from her. Reyna took a deep breath and looked at Rhea. The Titaness watched her. "The Olympians only have one question on their minds when they see you. What wouldn't you do to protect Rome?"

"We have already seen the horrors that you committed, when your sister was on the verge of death. The gods have watched you face down threat after threat and only grow stronger. You destroyed Ouranos Metis, and the assassins, even if you had help. What happens when you decide to turn against the gods? Who will protect them?" Rhea asked.

"I wouldn't," Reyna snapped. She sat up, despite the pain that it caused. Arcadia gave her a sharp look. "I had the choice to destroy the Olympians, when I was on Mount Olympus with Burza. All we had to do was walk into the throne room and soak the world in a golden shower. Instead, I did what I thought was right, and I am still being questioned about it. I have been questioned about everything that I have done!"

"You don't even want me as a champion. I'm just a status symbol to you," Reyna muttered. She laid backwards and stared at the ceiling. "I'm tired of arguing, Rhea. I just want to be left alone."

"I understand," Rhea said. She sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Reyna. I hope that one day you can forgive me. My offer will always be open to you."

Without another word, Rhea walked out of the room. Reyna placed a hand to her face and took deep breaths, despite the pain that it caused. Arcadia sat by her but didn't say a word. Reyna tried to calm herself down, and she felt a hand gently rub her shoulder.

Reyna slowly opened her eyes and tried to clear her mind. Talking with the Olympians was a whole mountain that she would climb later. For now, all she wanted to do was get better and relax. A gentle knock at the door caught Reyna's attention. She slowly looked at the door and was surprised to find Quirinus.

"Quirinus?" Reyna asked. She looked at the Roman god. He wore a full set of Roman armor, but the design of it seemed to be from an older era. There was a small, content smile on his face. He lost his smile as he examined Reyna. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to do two things. The first was to check on you," Quirinus answered. He took a few steps closer. Arcadia seemed ready to jump in front of him, and it seemed like she was waiting for any sign from Reyna. "The second was to warn you."

"About what?" Reyna asked. She glanced at Arcadia, and the goddess stepped in front of Quirinus. For a few moments, Quirinus studied Arcadia. A small smile came to his face, and he shook his head. He easily pushed past her and walked towards Reyna. Quirinus sat by her side.

"How are you feeling?" Quirinus asked. Reyna studied him. Quirinus had never been outright hostile to her, and he had even helped her a few times. Reyna laid her head back and tried to relax. She sighed softly and felt her leg once again.

"I feel terrible," Reyna admitted. She closed her eyes and let out a tired sigh. The talk with Rhea just left her mad, and that's all she felt. How long was she going to feel this anger? Would it ever go away? "I can't really feel anything, unless I move."

"You will need to rest. I am sure that it something you will be hearing many times," Quirinus said, and he smirked. Reyna smirked as well and studied Quirinus. He lost his smirk and seemed to become more serious. "We must talk about your plans for the future."

"Protect the world," Reyna answered. She looked back at the ceiling. "It doesn't matter if it is from monsters, other demigods, or even the Olympians. I just want to protect the world however I can. You should know that by now."

"It is a very noble cause, and it may lead to disaster," Quirinus warned. Reyna looked at him. "The best intentions can lead to ruin. I do not want to threaten you, Reyna. I just want to warn you about what may or may not happen if you go through with your plan."

"I assume that you will go back to Rome and bring stability there. You will rebuild your base and bring the Sixth Legion back to full strength," Quirinus guessed. Reyna nodded. "From there, you will keep an eye on the demigods and Olympians from Rome and intervene if you think it is necessary."

"That's what I was thinking about doing," Reyna replied. She glanced at Arcadia. The goddess looked relaxed, but her fingers rested near her dagger. Her gaze had not moved from Quirinus. "I'm guessing the Olympians won't like that and have sent you to give me a warning."

"I have not spoken to the Olympians, outside of helping them with their war," Quirinus replied. He gave Reyna a knowing look. "I speak to you from my own experience and the things that I have seen. War is all you have known for a long time, but there will be peace. You will need to learn how to navigate it."

Reyna looked away and tried to keep her anger in check. Quirinus was just trying to help her. Part of her expected it to be another lecture, and the last thing she wanted was for another immortal to lecture her. Reyna spoke, "I think I can negotiate with the camps well enough."

"I am sure that you have the immediate future handled, but I am more worried about what will happen decades and centuries from now," Quirinus said. Reyna frowned and looked at the god in front of her. "At the moment, almost everyone at the camps know about you. They have fought besides you."

"They know the story of the former praetor who was exiled from her home after fighting Ouranos. She helped the camps fight off another threat, and she gained a legion along the way. The former praetor and her new legions would help the camps take on assassins," Quirinus continued.

"Years from now, the demigods who fought alongside you will move on with their lives, and new demigods will take their place. These new demigods will hear your story from the people who fought with you. Eventually, the demigods that fought by your side will move on, and your story will be repeated by people who never fought with you. They just remember what they were told, and your story will become legend," Quirinus continued. "There's a funny thing about legends though. The story is never right."

"As the story is passed from the lips of one demigods to another, the details will be lost. In a century or maybe even a few decades, the legend will be altered. You will be known as a former praetor, who was exiled after she destroyed Ouranos. Why was she exiled? Was it because she did something that the gods didn't agree with, or were they afraid of her power? This former, disgraced praetor found herself a new legion, and she declared war on Camp Jupiter. A new threat came along that caused the legion and Camp Jupiter to work together, but who knows what is going to happen now that the threat is long gone and the legion has been gathering strength," Quirinus said. "That is just one possible variant of the story."

"People always talk. It is nothing new," Arcadia muttered. "Who cares what they say about the imperator?"

"Reyna's intentions may be good, but in decades, it may not been seen that way. If the legend of the imperator is twisted, any action she makes will be seen in a negative light. The Olympians may try to do something harmful to the camps, and Reyna will step in. The camps will not see it that way though. They will see a former praetor finally stepping out of the shadows and going against the gods. They will see her as the threat that she is trying to stop."

"So how do I avoid this?" Reyna asked. She frowned and thought about the words. Quirinus was telling the truth. If Reyna had heard about the things she done and realized that the person in the story had been hiding in Rome and gathering strength, she would be more than a little worried. Would people start to see Reyna as a monster? Some of them already saw her like that.

"You must continue to have contact with the camps," Quirinus replied. "Even if it is just once a month, you must have a presence within the two camps. The Hunters of Artemis do this. They visit the camps every so often to rest, recruit, and mingle with their fellow demigods. They have a cabin as permanent reminder of who they are. You must find a way to be remembered for who you are in the camps."

Reyna nodded in agreement. She glanced at Arcadia. The goddess spoke, "We do have a negotiator, and it is possible that we could visit the camps. The only problem is that this entire theory hinges on the belief that the camps will want to see us. We don't know how it is going to turn out with the Olympians, and that will determine how our relationship with the camps is. We don't have solid footing here."

"I know," Quirinus said. He looked at Reyna sadly. "The Olympians will judge you harshly. There is a darkness inside of you, and it scares them right down to their core. You've unleashed that darkness before, and they've seen the results. I've seen you harness and control your darkness, but what happens if you lose control again?"

"I won't," Reyna muttered. She looked away. Quirinus grabbed her arm. He squeezed it gently. "I know the evil that I hold inside, and it scares me, Quirinus. I am doing everything I can to keep it hidden and locked away. I'm not going to lose control."

"You're going to cling to your morals to help you. That is good," Quirinus stated. He studied Reyna. "It is a good idea to have morals and convictions, but you must be careful that they do not blind you. Reyna, you cannot be an enemy to the Olympians forever. You must forgive them and find a way to work with them."

"What if they don't want to work with me?" Reyna muttered. She closed her eyes and tried to hide her frustration. Reyna knew that Quirinus was only trying to help her, but something told her that she was going to hear the same thing plenty of times. An angry sigh escaped her.

"I don't know," Quirinus admitted. He let go of her arm. "It will not be easy, and I do not know how you should navigate the path ahead. I just know that you must be careful. If you'll excuse me, I must take my leave."

"Thank you," Reyna said. Quirinus looked at her and smiled. Then, he turned and left the room. Reyna laid her head back against the bed and stared at the ceiling. She could see Arcadia watching her closely. Reyna closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"What do you think we should do next?" Arcadia asked. Reyna shook her head and didn't answer. Truthfully, she didn't know. One of her biggest concerns was how everything with the Olympians would go. If things went wrong, hos badly would her life be destroyed? A tired sigh left Reyna. Both conversations left her exhausted and confused. All she wanted to do was get some sleep and try to think over her next steps.

Reyna laid her head back against the pillow and closed her eyes. Meeting the Olympians was something that she had been putting off, but she couldn't do that for much longer. She would have to meet with them sooner rather than later, but she wanted to do that while standing on her own two feet. Another tired sigh left Reyna. She tried to open her eyes, but when that failed, she finally allowed herself to relax the best she could and fall into a restless sleep.


	75. Memento Mori

For the first time in weeks, Sally was able to sit back and take everything in. It scared her to do that though. Thinking about the fact that she had ended the life of one of the assassins was tearing her apart. The assassin was going to kill them, but did that really justify anything?

Sally sighed and sat back in her chair. She had managed to find a small library that no one seemed to go to. The owner was nice enough to allow her to sit there and just stare at nothing. It was nice to clear her mind and not think about anything.

Sally sighed and knew that she needed to get going. Clarisse and Reyna wanted to meet with her, so they could discuss what to do about the remaining assassins. Sally just didn't know why they wanted her opinion. She was a champion of Fate, but those two were the experienced ones.

After taking another minute to relax, Sally slowly stood. She thanked the librarian and walked outside. Sally looked up at the sky. Nighttime was coming, and she had probably missed dinner. Sally reached into her pocket and brushed the string that she had held onto. It was not too long that she had told Clotho that she couldn't cut the string of the general of the damned. Could she do it now?

Sally heard a noise behind her, and she slowly turned. She stared at the woman standing in front of her. Sally studied the beautiful woman in front of her: the general of the damned. The general was wearing a full set of armor, but her face was exposed. Sally didn't know if others could see the general as she did, as a mortal, but it sent a pain through her heart.

"Generals allow things to slip through the cracks," the general said. There was a bittersweet smile on her face. Her eyes moved towards the side, where all of the houses were. While it looked like she seemed lost in thought, Sally knew better. The general knew exactly where she was looking. "You aren't a general though."

"I'm not," Sally agreed. She studied the string in her hand. It belonged to Horatia Manius. The name came to Sally as a whisper, and it sent a chill down her spine. "If I cut your string, I will kill you. I can't just end a life like that again. I can't be a murderer."

"If killing someone makes one a murderer, are you not already one?" Horatia asked. She closed her eyes. "I saw you murder one of the twelve. I could feel the wandering spirit of the man you use to lay with. What is your reason for killing him?"

"To protect my son. I held no feelings for him," Sally said. She walked closer to the general. "That is different. He was more monster than man."

"And, I'm not?" Horatia asked. Her beautiful face disappeared, to show the ash that formed her body. "I have been walking this earth for too long, as this abomination. Do I not deserve to be put out of my misery?"

"The other champions can do it," Sally began. Horatia shook her head and sighed sadly. "I am going to talk to them anyway. I can tell one of them to cut your string."

"The imperator already swore that she would, after I helped her legion. Yet, here I am," Horatia said. She made a noise that sounded like a laugh, but it was full of pain. "Clarisse has not interest in helping me either. She sees me as a tool to be used."

"You and I are alike, champion," Horatia said. "We walk the same path, lost in a world that we don't know. Sally, you must ask yourself a very important question. Do you want to be an immortal? Do you want to watch everyone you love die and everything you've ever known change?"

"No," Sally answered. She looked away. "Percy and Paul are everything to me. If I were to lose one, I don't know what I would do."

"Everyone thinks that immortality is this great blessing, but they do not realize that it is a curse. All of your friends and family will die, to leave you alone. Making new relationships and getting close will only open your heart to more pain. Slowly but surely, the world around you will change, and there is nothing you can do about it," Horatia warned. She looked down. "Sally, you are not like the other champions. I ask you to free me from my curse. Please."

Sally slowly looked down at the string that she held. She had seen how Horatia was suppose to die, and that betrayal still sent shivers down her spine. How would it feel to be trapped in a small space, only able to see glimpses of the outside world? How would it feel to watch people die?

Could Sally watch Percy and Annabeth grow old, until they died? What about Paul? He would grow old without her. She would be alone, and that scared her a little. After taking a deep breath, Sally knew what she had to do. She spoke, "Thank you."

Sally slowly grabbed her sword and unsheathed it. She slowly placed her sword to the string. Sally was not a monster. She was not a murder, but the others were right. This was mercy. Sally cut the string, before she lost her nerve.

A small gasp escaped Horatia, and she stumbled backwards. Her eyes focused on Sally, and for a moment, there was such a grateful look in her eyes. Horatia spoke, "Thank you."

The ash slowly spread apart and drifted away, leaving nothing of the general of the damned. Sally felt the string crumble to dust in her hand, and she slowly let it fall to the ground. Sally sheathed her sword and turned around. A deep, tired breath left her, and she started to walk towards the houses of New Rome.

Everyone in the camp seemed to be frozen or just unafraid to take the next step. They took care of the fallen and made sure their borders were secure, but there seemed to be a standstill at Camp Jupiter. A few of the cabin leaders from Camp Half-Blood had gone back to their camp to make sure everything was secure. The Hunters of Artemis had yet to leave the camp, and they seemed to be keeping an eye on the demititans and Sixth Legion.

Sally really wished that the tension would just stop. Clarisse had been helping keep the peace, but most of her attention was on the four peacekeepers that they had to keep under guard. Almost everyone wanted to turn them over to the Olympians, but Clarisse kept telling them that the champions needed to discuss it with the Fates.

Sally made her way towards the house that Reyna was staying in. It had only been a day since Reyna finally woke up, and it didn't sound like Reyna was in the best shape. Sally walked towards the front door and knocked on it. It opened a moment later, and Arcadia studied her. The goddess nodded towards her and allowed her inside.

After a moment, Sally stepped into the house. She was surprised at the sheer amount of people around her. Three people were standing around a map, and Sally was pretty sure that they were centurions of the Sixth Legion. Arcadia walked back towards them and seemed to be studying the map with them. Reyna was laying on the couch and staring up at the ceiling. Clarisse was talking to her.

Hylla was standing a few feet off to the side with Kinzie. They were both focused on Reyna. The doctor, Avaris, walked towards Reyna and seemed to examine her leg. Reyna looked like she wanted to argue about something, but before she could say a word, Avaris pointed to the pillow that Reyna's leg was propped up on and then put a threatening finger in Reyna's face.

Reyna held up her hand and laid her head back against the couch's arm. The doctor spoke, "You are lucky that I am not keeping you trapped in the bed."

"I know," Reyna said. She looked at Sally and slowly waved a hand. Sally walked towards her fellow champions, and Clarisse grabbed an empty chair. She set it down for Sally. "How are you doing?"

"Probably better than you," Sally stated. She sat down and tried to not feel out of place. She wasn't as experienced in the world of mythology as the other two were. Clarisse slowly pulled the strings out of her pocket. She studied them.

"They don't deserve to be punished," Reyna began. "All of them felt betrayed by the gods, and most of them were. The Olympians will do horrible things to them. We just need to hand their strings over to the Fates and let them do what they please."

"I want to agree, but why do they get off with no consequences?" Clarisse asked. Reyna glanced at her. "If we hand the strings over to the Fates, will the Olympians be upset with us. You're already enemy number one for them."

"Because I've taken out everyone else on that list," Reyna muttered. She closed her eyes. "We cannot live in fear of what the Olympians might do. You should know that, Clarisse."

"I'm not the one living in fear," Clarisse stated. Reyna remained silent and opened her eyes. She glared at Clarisse. "You need all of the good faith that you can get from the Olympians. Giving them the strings will be a start."

"I'm not selling out the souls of those four peacekeepers," Reyna snapped. "They will be punished for things that are not entirely their fault. How is that fair?"

"How is it fair that they killed my friends and family?" Clarisse snapped back. "I have been thinking about this long and hard. It isn't fair that we are going to throw the peacekeepers under the bus, but life isn't fair. We have to do what we have to do. I say we give their strings to the Olympians and wash our hands of everything."

"You're stuck in your ways," Reyna muttered. Clarisse laughed, and Reyna glared once again.

"If you think I am stuck in my ways, why don't you try looking into a mirror?" Clarisse asked. Out of the corner of her eye, Sally saw that they were slowly drawing the attention of everyone in the room. This was not how their talks were suppose to go, and they couldn't keep arguing.

"It's not up to us," Sally interrupted. Both of her fellow champions looked at her. "This entire situation started because the gods took strings from the Fates. We have to set it right by giving the strings back. This isn't to appease the Olympians or to punish the peacekeepers. It's about returning things to how it should be."

"So, you're agreeing with Reyna. Fine," Clarisse said. She stood angrily and crossed. "I don't like it, but I won't fight it. If anyone asks, I didn't agree to any of this. I just went with the majority."

Clarisse looked at the strings in her hands, and she shook her head. She spoke, "Let's get this over with. Which Fate should I give it too?"

"I'll give it to Clotho," Sally stated. She looked down at the ground. Horatia's words were weighing on her mind. Sally stood and took the strings from Clarisse. "You two get some rest."

"You too," Clarisse said. She turned and left the room. Sally glanced at Reyna. After a moment, Reyna nodded towards her and waved. She laid her head back and stared at the ceiling. It seemed like there was a lot on her mind.

Sally turned and left the house without another word. As she started to walk down the road, she heard a noise beside her. Sally turned her head and looked at Clotho.

"Mercy often differs from what we think," Clotho stated. She made a face that looked like it was trying to be a smile. "When you cut the general's string, you gave her a mercy she has not felt in a very long time."

"It doesn't make me feel any better," Sally admitted. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Horatia warned me about the fact that I would see my friends and family die. Everything that I knew would disappear, as an immortal. Is that true?"

"Everything changes," Clotho stated. Sally looked down, knowing that it was the truth. She just needed someone else to tell her that. "Do you have seconds thoughts?"

"I know that your champions before were mortal, but I was made an immortal. Why?" Sally questioned. "What makes me different?"

"They are all offered the chance at immortality. Most have turned it down, or they did something that forced me to take their immortality away," Clotho explained. "My sisters are more lenient than I am when it comes to what they are willing to tolerate."

"When some of your champions turned down the chance for immortality, did they lose their position? Did anything else happen to them?" Sally questioned. Clotho laughed slightly.

"No. Of course not," Clotho replied. "They only lost their position when they died. My champions have always been closer to life than the others. They always seem to respect it more. My champions see how precious and fleeting life is. How precious is it to you?"

"Enough to be your champion and help whoever I can," Sally answered. She closed her eyes. "But not enough to be immortal. I can't outlive my son. I won't. I hope you can respect that."

"I can," Clotho said. She placed a hand to Sally's shoulder and gave her a knowing look. "I will remove your immortality. You will still remain my champion, if you want."

"I want to remain your champion," Sally stated. She smiled at the Fate and then closed her eyes. It felt like there was a small pop in her chest, and it also felt like a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. "Thank you, Clotho."

"I should be thanking you," Clotho said, but she didn't elaborate onn why. The Fate held out a hand, and Sally handed her the four strings. Clotho almost seemed to recoil, but she slowly grabbed the strings. "You made the correct choice. The Olympians would have done terrible things to them. It is time for them to rest."

Sally nodded and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, Clotho was gone. Sally let out a tired breath. Spending the rest of her mortal life helping out demigods sounded like a worthy endeavor, and she would be able to see Paul more. A life without him was not one she wanted to live. A life without Percy was one where she could not live, and Sally knew that Percy or Paul could die anytime. That was the beauty of life though. No one ever knew what would happen, and for Sally, that was fine. She was ready to live out her life, no matter what happened.


	76. Dimittetur Illi

For Reyna, the Garden of Bacchus was not as peaceful as it use to be. It was mostly because all of the memories associated with the garden caused pain to tear through her heart. At the same time, it felt comforting to be there. Reyna closed her eyes and laid her head back against the chair she was sitting in.

It had taken a full day of talking, but Reyna managed to convince Avaris to let her leave the house that she had been trapped in. It had been a painful and frustrating few days. Reyna hated that she was forced to lay on a couch and contemplate her injuries. There was also the matter of the Council.

With Seva's death, the three false leaders of the Council stepped up to become actual leaders. They sent a message to all of the barbarian clans calling for a truce. Anyone who didn't agree to the truce would be annihilated. The Council then called for everyone to meet in a month's time.

From what Reyna understood, the Council wanted to still be a ruling body of all of the barbarians, but they didn't want to make the decisions. They wanted the clans to have a representative vote on matters, and it would be a situation where the majority ruled. That meant the Sixth Legion needed to find all of the allies they could to strengthen themselves and show the barbarians why it would be a very bad idea to disagree with them or try to attack them.

Reyna spent the last couple days going over a plan with her centurions, and it was exhausting. The only thing she was allowed to do was lay there and plan. She wanted to do anything else, which was why it was so nice to visit the Garden of Bacchus.

Reyna moved her knee by accident and almost cursed in pain. She slowly stood and placed her hand to the fountain of Bacchus, to help her keep standing. Arcadia had practically carried her towards the hill, but Reyna tried her best to walk. Her knee just wouldn't cooperate with her.

Reyna let out a shaky breath and slowly limped forward. It hurt terribly to put any pressure on her injured knee, so after a few moments, she leaned on the fountain once again. Reyna cursed angrily and slowly sat against the fountain. Her gaze focused ahead.

"I thought I would find you here," a voice said. Reyna slowly looked at Annabeth. The daughter of Athena studied her. Reyna looked back at her knee and studied the brace that was on it. "Can I sit?"

"Go ahead," Reyna muttered. Annabeth sat down next to her and remained silent. She focused ahead. Reyna did as well. They were getting ready to leave the camp, after the leaders all had one last meeting. From there, the Sixth Legion would head to their training base and make sure their territory was safe. Reyna would probably go to Olympus in that time.

Reyna didn't want to have a meeting with the leaders. All of those meetings had gone terrible. She was tired of being called names and having different insults thrown her way. Reyna was tired of the threats and arguing, and she was just angry in general. Her anger was mostly focused at herself though.

Reyna laid her head back against the fountain and closed her eyes. Annabeth didn't say a word. It seemed like she was relaxing as well, or she just had a lot on her mind. Reyna allowed herself to relax for a few minutes. She finally sighed and spoke, "I'm sorry. For everything."

"I know I've done a lot of things that were terrible, and I can't hide behind the excuse of Kronos for much longer," Reyna muttered. She picked at the grass. "It doesn't excuse what I did."

"As much as people will tell you different, the things that you did with Kronos in your head are not your fault. His words can wrap around your mind and make you do things that you thought you wouldn't," Annabeth said. Reyna let out a humorless chuckle. "Do you know why it upset me so much that you worked with Kronos?"

"Because he's dangerous and crazy?" Reyna asked. Her eyes closed once again. It was silent for a few moments, and Reyna opened her eyes. Annabeth was looking off in the distance, as if she was reliving a memory. "Why?"

"I lost someone that I loved to Kronos. I watched Kronos take his hatred and change him into someone almost unrecognizable," Annabeth said. She took a shaky breath. "I couldn't lose anyone else to Kronos."

"I didn't have a choice," Reyna said. She looked down at her right hand and tried to make a fist. "I stabbed Ouranos in the chest with Kronos' sword, but he did not die. It didn't even seem like it hurt him. I wasn't strong enough to destroy him."

"You've been more than strong enough throughout all of this," Annabeth stated. Reyna didn't look at Annabeth. "I don't know how you kept going through all of it."

"I don't either," Reyna admitted. She rubbed her leg, scared to even get near her knee. It felt like it was pulsating in pain, even when she wasn't moving. For once, Reyna regretted not listening to her doctor. It would be nice to lay in a bed and not have this awkward conversation. "I guess I just focused on Hylla. She's the only thing I have left to live for."

"You have a legion now," Annabeth stated. Reyna nodded her agreement. She slowly looked at Annabeth. "I heard about what happened to you. Nico told me that you wanted to give up your position."

"I was in a bad spot. I'm fine now," Reyna muttered, but she knew that lie was easy to see through. Annabeth gave her a look, and Reyna shook her head. "I don't know what to tell you, Annabeth. I'm doing everything I can to keep the darkness at bay."

"I always said that you were a monster, but I was the real monster," Annabeth said. "I thought that I was helping make peace, but I was the one who released the assassins from their sleep. My mother spoke to me yesterday. She said that Eirene originally used blood of one of her peacekeepers to put the others to sleep. She would wake them when she was ready."

"Which was now," Reyna guessed. "So, Eirene used Vasicio's blood? He was a child of Athena. Then, your blood was used to reverse it. You couldn't have known, but I did. I was confronted and told that I would lead them to a half mortal who would free the assassins. I thought it was me, but I ended up leading them to you."

"You don't have to blame yourself for everything, even if we have," Annabeth said. She laid her head back against the fountain. "I should be the one blaming myself. I unleashed these assassins. None of this would have happened without me."

"We just needed to communicate," Reyna muttered. She laid her head back as well and swallowed painfully. Her hand gripped her leg. "We can go back and forth all day about who is to blame, but that isn't healthy. We just need to put this behind us, no matter how hard it is."

Reyna closed her eyes tiredly. She couldn't help but remember how she had attacked Annabeth multiple times. She had almost killed Annabeth, and for some reason, she wanted Annabeth to forgive her. Reyna didn't deserve forgiveness. Not after what she had done.

Reyna took a shaky breath and buried her face in her good hand. She then ran that hand through her hair frustrated. Her thoughts were all over the place, and she couldn't stop blaming herself for everything that happened. Reyna rubbed her forehead and tried to calm down. A gentle hand grabbed her uninjured knee.

"It's okay," Annabeth whispered. "Calm down and breathe. What's on your mind?"

"All of those times that I attacked and threatened you," Reyna whispered. She tried to blink away her tears. Part of Reyna felt horrible about it. The other part didn't. Reyna wiped her eyes and slowly looked at Annabeth.

"It is in the past," Annabeth promised. Reyna looked away. "We both did terrible things to each other, Reyna. I thought we buried the hatchet at Camp Half-Blood. You seemed to trust me more afterwards."

"I did it for the war, just like you lied to Percy for the war," Reyna muttered. She closed her eyes and took another shaky breath. "We had to work together to defeat the assassins. We had to be united. The war is over now, so what happens next? Can we go back to how things were before all of these wars?"

"We can try,"Annabeth said. Reyna opened her eyes and looked Annabeth in the eyes. "I forgive you for everything you did, and I hope that you can forgive me as well. Getting you exiled was one of the worst decisions I have ever made. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Reyna whispered softly. She picked at the grass. It wasn't okay, but she was tired of fighting with Annabeth. Her relationship with Annabeth was probably the most broken, and it would be the hardest to repair. Did Reyna want to repair it?

"You don't mean that," Annabeth stated. Reyna didn't say a word. "I regret working with Eirene. I should have told you what was going on. I can't take those things back though, and you can't take back what you did. All we can do is try and move on, Reyna. It's going to be hard, but I'm willing to try."

"I am too," Reyna whispered. Annabeth stood and offered a hand. Reyna slowly grabbed onto Annabeth's hand, and the daughter of Athena gently helped her stand. Reyna slowly leaned against the fountain. The pulsating pain in her knee was starting to turn into a burning pain.

"Reyna, I am sorry, for everything," Annabeth said. She looked Reyna in the eyes. Reyna studied Annabeth's face and nodded.

"I'm sorry too," Reyna said. She sighed, as it felt like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. Annabeth gently squeezed Reyna's uninjured shoulder and gave her a nod. Then, Annabeth turned and walked away from the Garden of Bacchus.

Reyna watched Annabeth walk away. She looked at the ground and slowly reached her hand towards the coin that rested in her pocket. Arcadia told her to send her a message when she was done, and Reyna figured she had enough social interaction that day. As she turned to toss the coin into the fountain, she heard soft footsteps.

Reyna slowly turned around and made eye contact with the last person she expected to the see that day. She stared at Thalia and tried to think of what to say. Reyna found herself tensing up. She didn't think Thalia would attack her, but there was also no way for her to defend herself.

"Do you know why I hate you so much?" Thalia asked. Reyna didn't say a word. She just slowly pushed herself off of the fountain and hobbled forward a few feet. Thalia studied her, and her gaze lingered on Reyna's injured leg. "I hate you for killing the two Hunters of Artemis, but I understand that you had Kronos in your head. He was influencing you, and Circe was whispering in your ear as well. You were also right when you said that I would have done the same thing in your position."

"There is one thing that I would never have done though, and it is the reason that I hate you," Thalia continued. Reyna remained silent and watched Thalia for any sudden movements. "No one was in your head or whispering in your ear when you tried to kill Jason. He was your best friend, and you were just going to kill him!"

"If someone tried to kill Hylla, you would never be able to forgive them. I saw what happened when you thoughts you were sister was going to die," Thalia said. She took a deep breath. "Can't you see that it is the same for me? You tried to murder my baby brother!"

Reyna looked down. She had her reasons for why she had done it, but those were just excuses. Thalia wouldn't want to hear any of them. Reyna spoke, "I'm sorry, Thalia. I know nothing is going to make up for what I did. You have every right to be mad at me."

"I'm going to keep an eye on the Sixth Legion," Thalia stated. She stared at the fountain. "Artemis agrees. You can't be trusted with an army of your own. I cannot trust your mental state. Reyna, I want you to look me in the eyes and answer a question. Can you honestly look in the mirror and be happy with your actions?"

"No," Reyna answered, almost immediately. She knew the answer to that. Reyna shook her head. "I'm not happy, but I did what I have to do. I would do it again, but there isn't a day that passes when I don't regret some of the things I did. I just did what I had to do to save the world though."

"What wouldn't you do to save the world?" Thalia asked. Reyna didn't answer, and the question hung over the two of them. "You're not always right, Reyna. You don't have the answer to every problem in the world. You need to realize that."

"I'm sorry, Thalia. There's nothing else I can say," Reyna said. She looked down and shook her head. "I just hope that one day you can forgive me."

Thalia remained silent. Reyna closed her eyes and tensed slightly. She expected Thalia to snap at her and maybe even yell. Instead, Thalia just remained silent. Reyna finally opened her eyes and looked up at Thalia.

"Maybe one day," Thalia stated. She turned and walked away. Reyna let out a deep breath. She hadn't expected Thalia to hear her out, let alone entertain the thought of forgiving her one day. Reyna slowly pushed her off of the fountain and grabbed the coin.

There was a chance that things wouldn't be so bad in the meeting. Reyna would just try to keep her head down and keep from creating any trouble. Besides, it wasn't like she could really anger anyone else more than she already had, so there was one bright side.

Reyna closed her eyes and took a shaky breath. All she needed to do was get through the meeting with the other demigods and then have a meeting with the Olympians. That was the one that scared her. She didn't know what was going to happen, and it made her gut twist in fear. After all that she had done, she couldn't afford to lose what little she had left.

Reyna shook her head and tried to get rid of those thoughts. She gripped the coin even tighter. Reyna wished she was back at the house with the Sixth Legion. There was always someone there to either talk to her or enjoy the silence with her. It made it impossible to focus on her negative thoughts, and that was what she needed right now. Reyna needed to keep her thoughts calm and focused, so she couldn't fall back into the darkness. If she did, she didn't think that she would be able to climb out again.


End file.
